A free kick goal and four lost points

It´s interesting that football has so many stories, and unusual things that happened in the same game, in the same play and sometimes are forgotten. Until the day, a player remembers it. It could happen in a chat between friends or seeing the play again. It´s time to open the chest of memories, especially on 1987 November 22nd.

Remembering only the date maybe it will be harder to know about what match I´m talking. However, Flamengo´s fans didn´t forget the victory by 3 x 1 against Santa Cruz, in Maracanã, game in which I scored three times. Everybody already heard the Peu´s story about the defender that turned his back to Zico´s free kick because he wanted to watch the goal. I scored first in a rebound, the second was in a penalty kick and the third was this one that Birigui looked only to the ball. The last goal happened in the last minutes of the game.

Well, the story about this goal everybody knows until this point. Free kick, ball in the net, defender that wanted to watch the goal and Birigui didn´t move. What many people don´t know is that this goal complicated me until the end of the 1987 Brazilian national championship. You can watch the video below with that games´ goals, with 1 minute and 58 seconds, the accident happened: I opened the four points of the surgery I had done on the knee. You can notice that I ran to the crowd in the first two goals, but the last one I celebrated running back to our field. The reason is very simple: I wanted to celebrate the goal with our goalkeeper, the great Zé Carlos. I remember that I was vibrating and Zé came in my direction in front of the area.

- Greeeeeat, Galo (Zico´s nickname)! Great goal! Great goal! - said him.

Then we found each other and I jumped in him. However, when he let me go I bumped my knee in the ground strongly. It really hurt. The only luck was that the game was ending and only a few people noticed that I got hurt in the celebration.

I always made jokes with the goalkeepers, implied with them, but I knew that they were great partners and very professional players. They usually were the first to go to practice and, in rainy days, they get dirtier than everyone else. Zé Carlos, Cantarele, Raul, Nielsen, goalkeepers that became my friends as many others. In a game that I scored three times I had to celebrate at least the last goal giving a hug in Zé. I didn´t count with the injury, but it was worthy. Funnier was heard his explanation in the locker room.

- Zico, you have to understand that I´m not used to the celebration. You never celebrate with me... Then I made a mistake.

Everybody laughed a lot after that and someone completed:

- C´mon, Zé. Zico scored three goals, but he lost four points in Maracanã´s field!

And Zé Carlos´ complain was heard. Since that day, we combined that some player was going to celebrate with him after the goal. And so we went until winning the national title against Internacional, in Maracanã. The late Zé that sometimes was my partner in foosball, opponent in snooker, always able to participate in charity games and festive matches organized by us is honored in Zico´s corner. We will have other opportunities to talk about ´Big Zé´ around here, but this story I dedicate to my friend that died this year. A day that a free kick goal cost me four points.


26/10/09.


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26/10/09 A free kick goal and four lost points
03/06/09 Lost in translation
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