There are moments in football where it feels like time stands still, and on 14 March 2021, at the Emirates Stadium, Erik Lamela’s rabona felt like one of those moments.The Argentine had just given Spurs the lead in the North London derby in stunning style, with the effort going on to win the FIFA Puskás Award. The fact Lamela was then sent off in that game as well, with Spurs losing 2-1, somewhat summed up his time in a Tottenham jersey.He left that summer, so what happened next and where is Erik Lamela today?Photo by David Rogers/Getty ImagesErik Lamela’s time at Tottenham HotspurLamela joined Tottenham for £25.8 million, joining from Roma, becoming the club’s most expensive player in the process. He was one of the ‘Bale Seven’, as Spurs spent big to try and fill the void left by the Welshman.Of all the recruits, Lamela arguably looked the most likely to fill Bale’s sizeable shoes. But his first season in North London was disrupted by injury. He made just nine appearances and struggled to establish himself.“He knows he isn’t producing half of what he can produce,” said Andre Villas-Boas, Tottenham’s head coach at the time. Lamela later admitted he was a little lost when he arrived. “I couldn’t speak a word of English,” he said. “I was in a new country without speaking the language and playing in a league where the football is very fast-paced.”Bit by bit, though, he found his feet.Under his fellow countryman, Mauricio Pochettino, Lamela became a regular at Tottenham. He established himself as something of a cult hero owed to his work rate, aggression and occasional moments of sheer brilliance, like that rabona at the Emirates. “I never practice this shot in training, it normally just comes in that second,” he said, after picking up the Puskás Award for his effort. “Finding the best way to shoot.”Between 2013 and 2021, he made 257 appearances and scored 37 goals across all competitions. The next chapter of his story took him from Spurs to Seville.Conquering Europe with SevillaAs Bryan Gil headed to Tottenham, Erik Lamela headed to Sevilla, where he proved instrumental as they went all the way in the Europa League in 2023.In the semi-final against Juventus, his moment came as he climbed highest to head home in extra-time, sending his side to the final. “When I scored, many things crossed my mind: good times, bad times – it was a unique moment that left me euphoric,” he said.Things got even better in the final, when Sevilla defeated his former club Roma on penalties. “I said to my wife, ‘we never play against Roma’. Then, the first time I got to play against them, for Sevilla, was in the final of the Europa League, which was quite incredible. But that is football!” he told Tottenham’s official website when reflecting afterwards.His time in Spain came to an end the following season, following 92 appearances, with him having to battle persistent fitness problems in his final campaign. It would not be the end of his association with the club, however.Why did Erik Lamela retire?Lamela was a free man, following the expiration of his contract with Sevilla. He opted to head to Greece, joining AEK Athens and settled into life fast.Even with the timer on his playing career heading into the red, he was still capable of magic moments. Lamela took home the Greek Super League Goal of the Season award for a strike against PAOK. But persistent hip problems made life increasingly difficult.After a season, with 31 appearances, four goals and six assists, both Lamela and AEK Athens agreed to a parting of the ways. He later admitted that his physical condition had forced him to adapt the way he was training. He spent time in the gym and riding bikes to ensure he was available.There had been many years of managing pain and playing through discomfort. Now, he decided that was that. He retired, aged 33.Hip replacements and kit man job titlesJust days after retiring, Lamela returned to Sevilla as an assistant coach. He joined Matias Almeyda, who had coached him at AEK. It was a chance to continue embracing his passion for football, without the pain he had been enduring. He did address those longstanding problems, too, undergoing hip replacement surgery and expressing his hope he was on the path to a “life without pain”.He spent nine months getting stuck into coaching at Sevilla, before following Almeyda to Monterrey in May 2026.In Mexico, though, he was faced with a challenge. He was registered under the job title ‘utilero’ which means equipment manager, or kit man. This was because he lacked the qualifications to be an assistant coach. Lamela was working towards his UEFA Pro coaching qualification, but was still shy of completing it.It was seen as a controversial move, with Lamela’s name removed from the register a few days later. Almeyda moved to defend him, stressing it was “not a loophole or any kind of trick”. With Lamela completing his coaching qualification in Spain, and lacking the necessary paperwork, the club had used what they had available.“There is no advantage whatsoever whether Lamela is registered as an equipment manager or as an assistant coach,” he added.Erik Lamela still loves Tottenham HotspurWhile his journey with football is far from done, Lamela left his mark on the pitch.While many of the Bale Seven were flops, it would not be fair to label Lamela as one of them. He perhaps didn’t hit the heights Spurs would have hoped, but he was still supremely talented, fiercely competitive, and capable of magic every so often.While the heights of his career came away from North London, he still holds Tottenham close to his heart.“I now look back on my time at Spurs as being the time I most enjoyed during my career,” he said in 2024. “I feel very proud to have played for them for the number of years that I did.”READ MORE: ‘My love for this club is big’ – Erik Lamela urges players to sign for Tottenham HotspurThe post What happened to Erik Lamela after Tottenham? From Puskas to Monterrey kitman appeared first on Spurs Web.