We have all seen it, players receiving their runners-up medal only for it to be taken off faster than it was put on. Given the work, effort, organisation, and desire to win the final, this seems like an understandable decision.
However, if you’re Mason Mount, a runners-up medal is not something to hide away from, it presents an opportunity to learn from past mistakes in the hopes of remedying them in the future.
Mason Mount is set to play in his fifth Chelsea final as they face off against Brazilian giants Palmerias in the Club World Cup Final. When reflecting on both previous successes and failures, the 22-year-old stated that:
“I know a lot of players, as soon as they get a second place medal, they throw it to the side but I kinda like having them. They’re not in the trophy cabinet. They’re on the side. You can use them as motivation.”
“You can use them to remember that feeling you had after the game. That you never want that again. Then you look at the trophy cabinet and see the winners’ medals and that feeling of winning and you remember that as well.”
This goes far in highlighting Mason Mount’s qualities off the pitch that directly affect his performances on it.
The mentality to accept defeat and learn from mistakes is exactly what the club and the fans want from their players, and no more at Chelsea where winning a trophy a season is the minimum expectation.
Mount has a portfolio of success and of defeat. A European and Super Cup Champion already, the England international will be looking to add Club World Cup Champion to that list this weekend.
Having lost the Euro final with England, as well as tasting defeat in the FA Cup against Arsenal, Mount will be hoping to act on the lessons from those defeats and bring home the only piece of silverware Chelsea are currently lacking.
Add to that the potential to win the Carabao Cup at the end of February and a picture quickly begins to build as Chelsea’s season could completely change by the end of this month, depending on the two major finals they have to play.
Regardless, Mason Mount has been arguably Chelsea’s most important player at points over the last 18 months and will be looking to continue his impressive 2021/22 form. Whether Chelsea win or not, Mount looks set to find a way of learning from the experience.