I have written numerous tributes in the past year and a half. Both the deaths of Eusebio and Alfredo Di Stefano were a sad day for football as a whole. Both were legends of the game. Both were part of the FIFA 100 and scored a combined total of over 1000 goals.
Yet when I returned home to the news that Wolfsburg midfielder Junior Malanda had been involved in a fatal car crash I knew that he would never be part of the FIFA All-Star team like Eusebio was in 1966 or he would never be part of a successful World Cup team unlike Eusebio was as he guided Portugal to third. He would never win anything with his nation, he would never win the European Cup like Di Stefano did five times.
He would never make his 100th appearance, as Di Stefano made his 500th fifty years ago this year. Malanda, may he rest in peace, made 86 senior appearances.
I am not going to lead any unrealistic towards the 'player of his generation' or 'a player full of passion like no other'. Junior Malanda was an excellent footballer with a full career ahead of him. A full career that would probably include some of the greatest achievements in football with whichever club he chose to move to next.
Malanda began his footballing career aged five in Belgium with VK Sint-Agatha-Berchem the first to pick him up for his young talents. Within the year he was moved away from the VK Sint-Agatha-Berchem academy, where he was instilled into straight away, and to FC Ganshoren. He spent two years at the Bosstraat Stadium before making his third move at the age of 9. FC Brussels signed him on another academy contract. Brussels dissolved last year due to financial trouble following relegation from the second division.
After leaving the countries capital football team, Malanda failed to cause uproar with a move to Brussels' rivals, R.S.C Anderlecht. Yet he joined a club with a fantastic academy, who produced Romelu Lukaku and his brother Jordan. Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool have all prised away the most fantastic of players from said academy at the age of 15.
For Malanda it was bordering France who he traveled to, to join Lille. He would go on to spend his longest time at any youth team in Lille. For 4 years he couldn't challenge for the Lille II side but made a name for himself in the U19 team. For the 2011-12 season he made 17 appearances for the Lille II team.
With 5 years gone and a first team appearance still not handed to Malanda, he departed home. This time he signed for Zulte Waregem. It was a refreshing move for the 18-year-old as he finally broke into the first team. His dominating performances finally came to display as with no-nonsense play and powerful play he impressed scouts from across the continent coming to Belgium.
As his side qualified for the Europa League in a very successful season, Malanda made thirty five appearances as well as hitting the back on the net thrice from defensive midfield.
With such a successful season under his belt as well as valuable experience, clubs were scratching at the Zulte Waregem door to sign the youngster. Yet it wasn't Liverpool, Arsenal, Fulham or Everton who took Malanda, it was Bundesliga side Wolfsburg. Another well chosen move for Malanda who would earn many more appearances in defensive midfield for the German side than in the Premier League.
Zulte Waregem secured Malanda's services for another six months following the move and he scored another 3 goals in a further 17 apperances for the Belgian side, including a winner against Wigan in the Europa League.
Malanda then joined his Wolfsburg teammates during the end of the Hinrunde and didn't make too many appearances. He made his debut in a disappointing draw against Eintracht Frankfurt before making 6 more appearances that season, though most came from the bench.
It was the ability to ease the pressure on Luis Gustavo that caught the eye of the Bundesliga fans. He brought out unknown attacking qualities in Gustavo and was improving every game, scoring against Werder Bremen and Nurnbeg in 3-1 and 4-1 victories respectively.
His season was ended early through a knee ligament injury in the Dfb Pokal semi-final in April after 6 months of brilliant development for the then 19-year-old.
The 2014/15 season continued Malanda's excellent development at Wolfsburg, making 10 appearances and two assists.
He played his last game five days before Christmas against Cologne in a 2-1 win.
He never played a senior appearance for Belgium.
He will never play a senior appearance for Belgium.
I never looked him live and I never will look him live. Yet I was almost in tears as I relayed the news in my head.
Junior Malanda will be greatly missed. He was labeled as not only an excellent footballer with an exciting future, but a lovely person who was 'the good spirit' of the team.