Peter Crouch is in good company with former Arsenal, Sevilla and Barcelona stars joined by a current Catalan resident and Liverpool striker in a list of the most infamous of footballs handball moments.
Undoubtedly Roberto Mancini must be absolutely sick of the sight of Peter Crouch after the vertically endowed striker scored against Manchester City once again. Although he could probably take being bested by the original goal, that magnificent volley from last season that got Stan Collymore in such a frenzy, but he described his latest as a ‘basketball’ goal after Crouch clearly handles it.
But Mancini is not alone when it comes to being disappointed after a handball in football, here are the five best.
Luis Fabiano
After a 9 month wait for an international goal Luis Fabiano demonstrated the buses formulae when 2 came at once, the first a smashing drive and the second a half volley after a wonderful piece of ball juggling.
The only thing wrong with it was just that; he really did juggle it with not one but two handballs in the build-up. To rub salt in the wounds the French referee then asked the then Sevilla marksman if he had handled the ball, too much hilarity.
The Ivory Coast did not share the good humour.
Here are some talking heads to guide you through it.
Luis Suarez
Infamously Luis Suarez is well known now as a rather unlikeable man, what for biting opponent’s shoulders to ‘allegedly’ racially abusing them; not to mention his on average 10 dives per game. Yet it was this instant at the last World Cup that really put him into the spotlight for the first time as public enemy number one.
His handball stopped an obvious goal for every neutral’s favourite side Ghana and prevented an African side making the semi-finals.
But it’s fine right because Asamoah Gyan would tuck away the penalty and order would again be restored? Wrong, he hit the bar, much to the jubilant and grimacing celebrations of Liverpool’s frontman.
The talking heads will take it from here again.
Thierry Henry
It seemed Thierry Henry forgot what sport he was playing during this game, sure Ireland and France are more used to playing each other at rugby union but that was no need for Thierry’s best Francois Trinh-Duc impression.
Gallas knocked in the resultant assist and France went on to potentially the worst World Cup campaign of all time.
Ireland fans were, and still are aggrieved to this very day.
Lionel Messi
He bares many similarities to Diego Maradona and he even has a ‘hand of god’ moment to lay claim too, his handled effort in the Barcelona derby sent the Spanish media into a frenzy over who would get the best Maradona related headlines first.
Check it out on the video and more importantly turn the volume up to 11 for some sensationally traditional commentating. GOALLLLLLLL!!!!!
Diego Maradona
The ‘Hand of God’ against England; while many an England fan still laments this poor refereeing and blatant cheating somehow, judging by his other goal in the game, you have to think it played no bearing on the overall result as Argentina were superior, with Maradona the catalyst.
The most infamous of all the handball moments in football without a doubt.
image: © prettyfriendship
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