It was in a Hampshire garage about 12 years ago where Mason Mount’s marvellous goal against Porto last night was first formed. Back then, a ten-year-old Mount was beginning to develop through the Chelsea academy he had joined four years earlier, but the quality of competition was becoming ever fiercer.
Mount’s biggest weakness was the ability with his left foot. The right was far from a problem. He was among the best prospects in Chelsea’s youth system but others were able to play with both feet, a quality that stood out to coaches and emotionally invested observers.
Mount’s father, Tony, had been a player and manager at non-League level, working with clubs such as Havant Town, and he would do drills with his young son. Knowing how important this ability was in the modern game, Tony came up with a plan for how Mount could improve.
He cleared out the double garage at the family home and installed a thin carpet. One night, Tony took Mason into the garage and handed him two socks — one red and one yellow — and told him they were going to play football tennis. The catch? Mount couldn’t use the red sock, his trusty, reliable right.
He would get so frustrated about losing the game that he would get upset. Mount found it awkward and uncomfortable. The connection was never the same as his right and he found himself running in circles trying to make it easier. This drill continued for years and was gradually introduced to games as Tony suggested that Mount only use his left boot.
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Eventually, it clicked. Using his left foot came as easily as using his right. His main weakness had gone.
So when Jorginho stepped into the attack at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium on Wednesday night, Mount wouldn’t have thought twice when he pointed to his left boot.
Jorginho fired in the pass and, as Zaidu Sanusi dived in, Mount’s deft touch allowed him to spin with the ball perfectly in his path. Yellow sock, red sock, back of the net.
It was the first goal of Mount’s Champions League career but far from the first of his professional career. Four of the goals he scored on loan at Derby County in 2018-19 had come courtesy of his left boot. Two of six in the Premier League this season have come with the so-called weaker one.
“I am always working on my finishing,” Mount said. “I don’t think you can work on it enough. In training I shoot as much as I can — that’s a part of my game where I think I can improve on and score more goals.”
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He has already improved this campaign, with 11 goals in total for club and country, including the strike in the victory over Albania in last month’s World Cup qualifier. He emerged from the international break not only a certainty for Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the European Championships this summer but also a contender for a place in the starting line-up.
Despite being only 22, Mount is fast becoming the main man at Chelsea. He has worn the captain’s armband twice this calendar year and the status of academy boy has already been outgrown. His energy and pressing on the ball has been complemented by the goals, with crucial strikes against Fulham, Liverpool, Southampton and Sheffield United before Wednesday night’s finish put Chelsea within touching distance of the Champions League semi-finals.
Mount’s ability with his left foot may not be first on the list when summing up his qualities, but it wasn’t when he walked into that garage 12 years ago either. In the end, Mount walked out without one of his weaknesses, which are becoming increasingly harder to find.
