A Goal Scorer's Guide

The Rojillo youth product went on loan to Armilleras to gain experience playing in muddy conditions and has returned having more than learned his lesson. He has four goals to his credit; three of them in the last two games.

On December 31, 2001, the end of mandatory military service in Spain officially took effect. Since then, several generations have grown up without knowing what it meant to do their military service. Months of instruction, physical training, discipline, camaraderie, and learning. An experience that, for many young people of a bygone era, was a true school of maturity.

Pablo Aguilar is 19 years old. Given his age, he obviously doesn’t know what that was like. However, the Estepona youth academy product has had his own unique military service. He didn’t need to pack his bags to head to a barracks or wear a uniform. His destination was Armilla, where a season of training awaited him in one of the most demanding environments in lower-division soccer.

His loan to Arenas de Armilla, a team in Group IX of the Tercera RFEF, had a very clear purpose: to rack up playing time, gain experience, and toughen up away from home. There he encountered a different kind of soccer—the kind where every ball is fought for as if it were the last, where physicality, intensity, and the willingness to sacrifice take center stage. A mud-soaked game where talent alone isn’t enough.

Under the guidance of Jorge Molina—a former forward for Betis and Granada, among others—Pablo completed his unique training period with some impressive stats: ten goals, nine in league play and one more in the promotion playoffs. But surely the greatest lesson isn’t reflected in any statistics. Because there are experiences that aren’t counted, even though they end up leaving a lasting impression. And it seems that military service has done him a world of good.

Upon his return to CD Estepona, the young forward wasn’t exactly a lock for the starting lineup. Initially, he was the third option in an attacking lineup where Ariel Herrero and Nacho Ramón seemed to be ahead of him. However, that’s just how soccer goes. You earn your place on the field, and you have to know how to make the most of your opportunities.

Pablo has decided to do just that by scoring goals. He’s already tallied four goals this season and has become the team’s leading scorer. Three of those goals have come in the last two matches: one in Lebrija and two against UD Tamaraceite. This streak confirms that his return hasn’t simply been a homecoming, but rather a demonstration that he’s come back as a more mature player, ready to compete.

Armilla may not have taught him how to march, drill in a courtyard, or handle a rifle, but it has helped him learn some of the lessons historically associated with military service: sacrifice, resilience, and the ability to function far from the comforts of home.

He left as a homegrown player who needed playing time and has returned as a forward demanding a leading role. We don’t know if they yelled at him much in Armilla, but what’s clear is that he’s come back having learned his lesson well.

Because there are military stints that last months and leave memories that last a lifetime. Pablo Aguilar’s lasted a season; it was written in mud and is now translating into goals.

Mission accomplished, soldier.

CD Estepona Fans | La Voz de la Afición