Paolo Guerrero has had an interesting five months or so. He went from scoring the goal that essentially put Peru into its first World Cup in 36 years in October to FIFA banning him for a year for testing positive for cocaine in December.
Vinicius Jr., who will arrive at Real Madrid eventually, scored an incredible goal for Flamengo in a 3-1 win against Botafogo Saturday. Vinicius then celebrated by pretending to cry.
It turns out there is some history behind that celebration.
In 2008, some Botafogo players began crying in a press conference held to protest refereeing decisions. They have been mocked for that ever since.
Perhaps the most famous play of Luis Suarez's career occured during the quarterfinals of the 2010 World Cup, when Uruguay faced Ghana. Suarez blocked a header off the goal line with his hands late in extra time and was sent off. Ghana missed the ensuing penalty, and Uruguay advanced.
Weeds and dirt and worms and flowers. Soon enough, every sinew of our being will be overloaded with the stuff. There’s no escaping it in our mortal flesh, and the corroding effect of time even conspires to destroy man’s most hallowed creations.
Here are 20 once-great footballing grounds that have since been decimated by the ravages of old age.
Ignacio “Nacho” Scocco scored perhaps the best goal of 2018 on Saturday during River Plate’s Argentine Primera Division match against Olimpo. Scocco scored a brace, leading Los Millonarios to a 2-0 victory, but the lasting memory will be this sensational solo effort, calling to mind the likes of international compatriots Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona.
The play-by-play from the commentator is absolutely sensational as well, it must be said. Scocco’s surname really lends itself to the ol' goooooooool call.
Wednesday’s Copa Libertadores match between Brazil’s Chapecoense and Uruguay’s Nacional at the Arena Conda in Chapeco was marred by one of the most compelling arguments ever made for misanthropy.
There is a soccer player named Yago Pikachu. We found this out and didn't know exactly what to do with this information so we are depositing it here.
(It turns out "Pikachu" is a nickname. For the rest of the article, let us joyously pretend this is not the case.)
Pikachu plays right back for Brazilian club Vasco da Gama, which is no stranger to incredible names (Vasco's all-time leading scorer is Roberto Dinamite). Pikachu made his Copa Libertadores debut on Wednesday. Vasco da Gama beat Universidad de Concepcion 4-0.
No event defines an athlete’s career quite like the World Cup. It’s why people still look at Lionel Messi like he’s got something to prove (he doesn’t) and why the name Chris Wondolowski still brings a tear to the eye of many Americans. The 2014 World Cup made Mario Gotze an international icon, turned James Rodriguez into the hero of Colombians everywhere and earned DeAndre Yedlin a Spurs contract.
The Oriente Petrolero versus Universitario match in the Copa Libertadores first stage was an emotional rollercoaster. Peruvian side Universitario was facing a 0-2 disadvantage as they hosted Bolivian side Oriente Petrolero in the return leg — you may recall the rather unusual goal celebration that took place in the first leg after Gerardo Freitas scored the second goal for Oriente Petrolero.