Jose Francisco Molina is just about the happiest footballer in Europe. The 32-year-old Spain and Deportivo La Coruna goalkeeper resumes training with his club this week, just three months after announcing he had been forced to give up football, at least temporarily, by a recurrence of testicular cancer.
At the time, an understandably tense Molina had wished his team-mates the best of luck for the rest of the season, adding that he hoped to be back with them soon. Even he can hardly have dared hope he would get back quite so quickly.
Nine-times capped Molina, formerly goalkeeper with Villareal, Albacete and Atletico Madrid, had already had a close encounter with cancer. In June 2001, he had undergone a seemingly successful operation on a testicular lump.
He had appeared to make a 100 per cent recovery from that, returning to keep goal for Deportivo for all of last season.
Furthermore, he proved to be a major protagonist, first in an exciting Champions League run through to the quarter-finals (beaten 2-0 and 3-2 by Manchester United) and then in the winning of the Spanish Cup (beating Real Madrid 2-1 in the final).
This season, however, did not start well for Molina. Poor performances in early season losses against Betis Seville and Racing Santander left the player perplexed. By mid-October, though, he had been provided with an all-too-grim explanation as to why his form might not have been the best when a routine medical test detected a malignant testicular tumour.
On October 14th last, accompanied by club president August Cesar Lendoiro, a tense Molina announced he would be returning to his native city of Valencia to receive treatment, including a course of chemotherapy. His president had offered encouraging words, saying Molina was "a very special character" and "dearly loved at this club", adding that he hoped Molina would be with Deportivo for a long, long time yet.
Last week, a smiling and totally bald Molina was back with his club, holding a news conference to announce his return to full health.
"Physically, it was difficult but psychologically it was harder. I really did not enjoy hospital. I'm an active person and to be stuck in there for 20 days was not easy. But I was lucky, I had the support and affection of lots of people, my family, friends, doctors, Deportivo fans, Valencia fans.
"If there is any secret in my getting better, it is simply that of fighting against the disease and never complaining about the pain and discomfort of the chemotherapy treatment," he said.
There are, of course, some notable sporting and medical precedents from which Molina can take courage.
US cyclist Lance Armstrong is the best known by far since he has won four straight Tour de Frances in the wake of a winning battle against testicular cancer. Bulgarian footballer Lubo Penev (formerly of Valencia) and Danish striker Ebbe Sand (currently with Schalke 04) are another two sportsmen to have resumed successful professional careers after undergoing surgery for testicular cancer.
With an enthusiasm and optimism that is hard to resist and even harder not to admire, Molina was even speculating last week about how long it would take him to get back into the first team: "I haven't trained with the first team for three months but I am not that unfit. I was able to keep working out with my own trainer and I'll start back with the club, bit by bit. The fact that I am a goalkeeper and not an outfield player, however, will speed up my recovery period."
On the night of February 19th last year, Molina was the hero of the hour when he saved a penalty from Alessandro Del Piero and made another superb stop from Frenchman David Trezeguet to hold Juventus to a 0-0 Champions League draw in Turin.
Ironically, Deportivo are due to return to the Stadio delle Alpi in Turin in two months' time for a second phase Champions League tie, again with Juventus. Now, if Molina were to save another penalty that night, it would represent a splendid finish to a desperately difficult year. Whatever happens, here's wishing Francisco Molina the best of luck. Welcome back.
