Ander Herrera has returned to his boyhood club, Real Zaragoza, playing for free in the Spanish third division, a move he describes as "probably the last dream" he wanted to fulfill.
Herrera, 37, spent 15 years away from the club where he began his professional career, playing for Athletic Club, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, and Boca Juniors. During his extensive career, he won the Europa League, FA Cup, and multiple league titles. He has also played under renowned managers such as Jose Mourinho, Thomas Tuchel, and Marcelo Bielsa, and shared dressing rooms with players like Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Wayne Rooney.
His decision to rejoin Real Zaragoza, who currently compete in the third tier of Spanish football after being relegated from La Liga in 2013 and subsequently falling into further decline, is driven by a desire to "close the circle" and contribute to his hometown club's revival. "To come back home, to the place where I grew up, that gave me the opportunity to be professional – not only in football, also as a human being," Herrera told BBC Sport. "And I still have the passion, I still have the desire. I still have that love for football and to do it at home is the best way to end up in my career."
Zaragoza, winners of the 1995 Cup Winners' Cup, have experienced a significant downturn since Herrera's departure. He watched their decline from afar and acknowledges the sadness felt by the club's supporters. "Real Zaragoza belong to Europe, they belong to compete for trophies, to be fighting with the biggest clubs in Spain and in Europe," he stated.
Herrera aims to use his experience and passion to help the team return to its former standing. However, he is focused on the future, urging against dwelling on past failures. "Since the first day I came, I don't want to talk too much about the past. We have been talking too much about what we have done wrong. It's always killing our minds why that happened, always thinking about negative things. Let's stop crying about what happened in the past. Let's build on the future. Let's come every day to training with a smile."
His most recent competitive match was for Boca Juniors in the Copa Libertadores, and his next will be in front of approximately 6,500 fans against Gimnastic de Tarragona in the Spanish third division. Despite the stark contrast in scale, Herrera views this move as equally important to any he has made in his career.