The smile is wider and more genuine than many have seen on a pitch in years from a Chelsea player. Confetti has been fired into the air, tears of wild happiness have been shed and the world seems like the happiest of places for those with blue-tinted glasses.
The date is May 29, 2021. We are in the Estadio do Dragao and Mason Mount has just won the Champions League. He leans on the advertising hoarding, a cheeky grin on his face and chin resting on his hand. An alert photographer captures the moment of a young footballer who has just become a superstar. At only 22 years old Mount has not only received a Champions League winners medal with his boyhood club, he has played the pass that won the European Cup.
Mount, along with his Cobham graduating peer Reece James, showcases a homegrown pride within this iconic night in Chelsea history. Mount's memorable words on the touchline speak to a player that is strongly connected to his club.
