Greatest Own Goals of All-Time No.18
There must be no greater feeling than to play for your country in a World Cup. You go out onto the field knowing that not only you are one of the best players from your country and are about to play against the world’s best players.
Brazil’s Marcelo went into the first game of the 2014 World Cup with that in mind. He also had the added bonus of being able to play for his country who were hosting the competition and in front of a crowd that was predominantly followers of the Selecao.
With the colourful backdrop of thousands of fans decked out in yellow Brazil shirts in front of a sell-out crowd in Sao Paulo, Brazil’s faced Croatia in the opening game. Sadly for Marcelo, he was about to drop a clanger in front of the whole world!
The game was 11 minutes old when Croatia’s Ivica Olic took the ball down the left wing. He hit in a low cross towards Nikica Jelavic who had made a run to the near post, closely followed by Brazilian centre back David Luiz.
Jelavic deftly flicked the ball on towards the far corner but Brazil’s goalkeeper Julio Cesar anticipated to fire in at the near post and made a dive to cover that post.
The ball suddenly fell at the feet of Marcelo who had very little time to react. With Croatia’s closing in behind him, he knew that he had to clear the danger. He then got caught in two minds, sliced the ball and it rolled past Cesar into the back of the net.
The own goal was unfortunate to say the least as the responsibility to clear the ball fell squarely at David Luiz. He missed the ball and Marcelo was left embarrassed on the world’s biggest stage.
Marcelo’s immediate reaction after the own goal is what I think makes the whole unfortunate sequence. As the ball rolled into the net, he immediately turned around looking utterly bemused. Julio Cesar ruffled his hair as if to say “It wasn’t your fault” but his wide-eyed expression makes the own goal complete.
Brazil recovered from this early setback to win 3-1. They would go on to reach the Semi Final where they were thumped 7-1 by eventual winners Germany. But that’s a story for another time…
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