The Great And…Not Great series will take a videoscopic look at key moments in players´careers, contrasting the superb with the, ahem, not so superb. I begin with a player most of you know nothing about – Boca Juniors legend Martin Palermo.
I have a caveat for you cynical of hearts, you who believe that ye old futbol is only truly played on the old continent. While Palermo tried and failed in Spain, miserably, he has won numerous titles with Boca Jrs, including the Copa Libertadores. Recently, he scored a gem of a goal – a 30 yard header!
Did I mention Palermo did not have a good run in Spain? His chance with the national team went even worse. He managed to miss three penalty kicks in one game at the 1999 Copa America, Guinness World Record bad, and endured a ten year exile from the national team.
The misses were so comical that they inspired a skit by Mexican comedic legend Eugenio Derbez, who mocked Palermo in his tongue & cheek diablito skit.
But just as the phoenix rose from the ashes, Martin Palermo finds himself playing for Argentina again in similarly heated circumstances. He has been named a starter against Peru in a do-or-kinda-die game. Let´s just hope he doesn´t take any penalty kicks.
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