CIt’s a controversy like football: futile and therefore essential, especially at a time when football controversies are not trivial. Thursday, October 27 in the Europa League, Antony, the Brazilian winger of Manchester United, after receiving the ball, performed a “spinning top” by spinning it twice around him before delivering a deep pass.
???? The Antony special is always a little eye candy that we love to taste. https://t.co/SS9NvOuoEM
The young (22) international, recruited this summer by Ajax for 100 million euros, suffered a wave of criticism for the inanity of his gesture. “A number like that is good if it’s useful, if you don’t lose the ball, it’s OK. But if it’s just to do a number, then I’ll correct it”released his coach, Erik Ten Hag, who had replaced the player after the break.
Former footballers have been more outspoken, such as Paul Scholes – “I don’t know what he’s doing. It’s just ridiculous. It’s a show, what is he thinking? » –, joined by Robbie Savage, who added ” embarrassing “ at « ridicule ». However, the British hate to be embarrassed.
Antony still had lawyers: his delay would have allowed his partner to make a call for the ball. What he would also have achieved without moving. The number would have been better accepted, despite its uselessness at the moment, if it hadn’t been followed by a loss of ball, Antony’s pass spinning out of reach of any teammate.
signature gesture
For the Brazilian’s supporters, his spinning top is sufficiently stunning and controlled to be hailed. And to castigate the vile utilitarianism which would condemn the spectacle in a football rationalized to the extreme. His detractors only see it as a sin of vanity, especially at 0-0 against the modest Sheriff Tiraspol.
The player in any case wanted to show off his “signature gesture”already accomplished in the Netherlands, registering his trademark as before Ronaldinho on the ” comma “. But with that double contact with the same foot, this Brazilian was looking to dribble past his opponent – and usually succeeded. The game loves virtuosos if they serve it.
The pinnacle is to give one’s name to a gesture, like the Czechoslovak striker Antonin Panenka who, to execute a penalty, invented in 1976 this full-axis dive shot in order to play with the goalkeeper’s dive. A technical gesture can assure posterity to its author… if it is effective.
You also have to know how to choose the moment to complete your “special”. Panenka had mystified the West German goalkeeper in the penalty shootout of the European Championship final. When Colombian goalkeeper René Higuita made his legendary “scorpion kick” in 1995, it was against England at Wembley.
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