How to understand Izazola's decision within Liga Mx?

   Czech writer Milan Kundera has some pages of his first novel, The Book of Laughter and Forgetting, explaining why he fled his own country. Himself a member of the Czechoslovakian Communist Party, Kundera did not depart on occasion of the Soviet invasion in 1968, but did so only until 1975 when he went into exile in France, where he settled for good. Why did he take so long to run away from oppression?

The announcement, doubly surprising, made by Pumas UNAM's graduate, David Izazola, about ending his professional career at just 24 years old was hotly debated in social media with some commending and others turning against. It was doubly surprising since the winger (who received some caps for national underage sides in the past) had already been forgotten by almost everyone and because, with that age, it is still very possible to have decent contracts in the lower tiers of the domestic league.

In his tweeted announcement, Izazola referred to a "system made for foreigners in which decisions are taken on grounds of profits and business and not on skills and talent". These lines would represent volcanic critiques to decision-makers of Liga Mx after the approval of laws allowing top-flight clubs to field squads packed with foreign resources. Although lately the discussion about the scarcity of Mexican youngsters making a lasting impact had narrowed to "Mexicans vs Foreigners and Naturalizados", this time Izazola's decision moved the conversation onto another shocking direction.

"Please don't dramatize: had he been a good player, he surely would have made it big. Talent shows itself"-, "It's very coward to blame others for your own failures "-, "Giving up your dreams? If these are indeed your dreams you will do whatever it takes to fulfill them"-. The "not-too-good" rant at Izazola, nevertheless, strengthens the cause of those who made the new rules in Liga Mx. Should this be the case (that every Izazola in Mexico is deserving of his gloomy fate), then the only legitimate criticism to the new rulings must be about their very late arrival. Here, Izazola's experience is a confirmation of the urgent need of more and more signings from abroad.

The real question, however, is not whether Izazola had a poor level or not, the real question is: why did he take so long to escape from a system that, has he claims, is merciless with Mexican youngsters?

Explaining his exit from his fatherland, Kundera uses one expression, "circle dancing", to make allusion to the Czechoslovakian class of privileged intellectuals united around Communist Party membership. Kundera was aware of the atrocities of 1968 onwards, and was also aware of the persecution suffered by some of his friends who were reluctant to "circle dancing". He remained a party member almost until his exile, though, since the dance allowed him and others to keep together as a closed group and to look the other way at Communist abuses. "Circle dancing", furthermore, meant fun and play:

Then I became conscious of the circle's magical meaning. If we get out from the line, we can get back in. The line is an open formation. But the circle is closed and there's no possible return.

More than putting an end to his career, Izazola has taken the uncertain choice of getting out from the circle (what's next for him now?). The circle of Mexican youngsters and former youngsters is nowadays comprised by champions and runners-up of junior FIFA tournaments who enjoy first-world salaries while being benched game after game. Some of them watch Liga Mx in box seats, behind acrylic glass, eating popcorn as their teammates play. "Circle dancing" might mean money and joy but no play. And soccer players are so called because they play soccer, just like intellectuals are so called because they use their intellect.

Kundera perhaps took so long to flee as he realized that "circle dancing" meant everything except thinking. Izazola perhaps took so long to retire as he realized "circle dancing" means anything except playing soccer. The real drama is not his particular case. The real drama is the one of those who are already retired and don't even know it.