Guedes’ Goal: A Lesson for Football “Artists”

Last Sunday the Mestalla, home of Valencia, was the scene of a memorable goal, deserving of being engraved on the walls of that emblematic stadium. It is one of those goals to raise the audience from their seats, which this time did not happen due to the pandemic. I hope that in the future ‒ on nights of great attendances, and for everyone to remember ‒ this move will insistently pass on the arena’s videoboards. In every room, on every screen. Let it be replayed without an end in sight. I’ll explain why.

Many other goals have deserved to belong in a Golden Gallery, some of them despite being scored in an irregular way, such as Maradona’s famous “Hand of God”. It’s a pious little trick that can only be forgiven to a genius like Diego Armando, in a sport that coexists well (despite the VAR) with the simulation, the deception of the referee, the opponent and even the public. We are an audience that pays to see the show and doesn’t even complain about being so shamelessly deceived.

Returning to the goal of Guedes, after all, what was so extraordinary about it?

Well, the goal itself, the ball shot to the top left corner of the goal was excellent, but we see some similar ones every week. Regarding the move, it was anything but “showy,” in the true sense of the word. Analyzing the attacking movement of Guedes, in terms of elegance, it was an authentic aesthetic aberration, so twisted and disjointed that his run was. Not to mention that it resembled a display of pure selfishness, manifesting an unfortunate lack of teamwork, not passing the ball to better positioned teammates. Well, maybe it was not such a fantastic goal after all… or was it?

Let us now make brief comparisons with the so-called “goals from another galaxy.”

Interestingly, in that same game against England, at the World Cup in 86, in Mexico, Maradona would score that which is considered by many to be the Best Goal Ever, when he successively, and with extreme elegance, dribbled past each of the opponents, since his midfield all the way to putting the ball in the British net. In a closer look, and without taking merit from the protagonist (the best player I ever saw playing), we see that there were only four field players and the keeper, and none of them even touched the Argentine magician; on the contrary, it was as if they had laid the red carpet just for him to pass through. Even the final touch was just this light tap from the ball to the goal, something that any 8 year old kid could do.

The Spanish press immediately rushed to compare Guedes’ goal with that of Ronaldo (the Fenómeno) back in ‘96, who as a Barça player crushed the defense of Compostela, like a freight train with all its overwhelming strength. After first being harassed in the midfield by an opponent, he left three more (who did not even come close to him) behind and shot for goal, without any opposition at the entrance of the penalty box.

That is, in those cases used to compare with the goal of Guedes, both considered as the best in the history of football, the course of the plays and the final shot itself were much inferior to the triumphant stampede finished with such class, and authored by the Portuguese forward.

Now, not being a feat achieved by a Ronaldo (any of them), or by Messi, after three days it’s already forgotten by the “entourage” that feeds football with prodigious comments about banal deeds, but that fills its belly, week after week, analyzing endlessly the validity of a goal canceled by the VAR, finding a thousand excuses to justify a penalty resulting from a shameless dive.

But since everyone has already forgotten about Guedes and his improbable goal, here I am, humble football enthusiast, to perpetuate, as a requiem to the “People’s Game,” that which despite not being exemplary of a perfect goal, became a perfect example that should be transmitted on the giant screens of football stadiums whenever cheating players, of mediocre character and poor mental resilience, demonstrate anti-sportsmanship, either throwing themselves deliberately to the ground, or complaining about non-existent fouls.

Objectively, my dear “Con Artists of Football”, know that since he started with the ball, 70 meters away from Osasuna’s goal (more than Maradona and Ronaldo), until finally taking the shot, Gonçalo Guedes faced five opponents, fell, crawled and clawed his way back up twice and could have forced a foul at least three more times, even once inside the penalty box. After the first opponent gave him a touch, making him stagger, the second dropped him to the ground. He did not give up, he crawled across the pitch, standing up in time to avoid the third defender, who without reaching the ball still tried to block his way. But this portuga knew that he could score despite the head-on clashes, and he continued zigzagging, staggering, sneaking past the opponents, with a disjointed run, like Garrincha in his peculiar style. Coming across another one already within the box, he dashed to the right, in the center of the box, around another one with a disconcerting one-foot ballet-type jump, and thus gained the minimum space, an essential crack that only he envisioned to deliver the fatal shot.

It would have been very easy for him to get free kicks on goal, or even a penalty. But no, Gonçalo Guedes chose the most difficult, the most arduous, the most laborious, the most complex path. But that is also the most rewarding, the most delicious, the most memorable, the most deserving of praise. That is why this text praises his posture, his effort and determination.

It is not his most important goal (that would be the one scored by the Portuguese team in the Netherlands in the final of the League of Nations), but it is for me one of the most important goals in the history of modern football, and it should be part of the formation of young people, especially aspiring football players. Thank you, Gonçalo! Keep up that integrity, that drive to play the most “pretentious” sport in the world the way it ought to be played.

Image: Twitter

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