5 times Ball boys have had an impact on a football match. Let us look at the 5 notable times ball boys have taken the centre stage.
The match between Tottenham and Olympiacos on Tuesday night in the Champions league will be remembered for two reasons. One, for being Jose Mourinho’s first home game as Tottenham head coach. The 2nd will be for the quick-thinking ball boy who helped Tottenham score their second goal.
Also read: Maurizio Sarri opens up on his hilarious reaction after Paulo Dybala stunner vs Atletico Madrid
Tottenham would eventually win the match, 4-2 after being 2-0 down at one point and Mourinho was seen celebrating with the ball boy. The Ball boy came under special mention from Mourinho once again after the match who praised him for being an excellent reader of the game.
Today we will look at 5 other instances where the ball boys took the centre stage and made an impact in a football match.
5 times Ball boys have had an impact on a football match
#5) Tottenham vs Anorthosis Famagusta (September 2007)
Perhaps not as impactful as the other ball boys in this list. However, perhaps one of the most well remembered one. Tottenham were thrashing Cypriot side Famagusta at White Hart Lane in 2007. However, the highlight of the match came when a ballboy directed his throw straight into the lower midriff of Kostas Louboutis.
The ball hit him straight on his jewels and he was caught wincing before staring at his culprit. The Tottenham faithful though, loved the incident and proceeded to give the youngster a rousing chant for his ball-busting efforts.
#4) Yeovil vs Bromley (September, 2019)
The national league match between Yeovil and Bromley ended 3-1 in Yeovil’s favour. The match however, will not be remembered for the 3 times, Yeovil found the back of Bromley’s nets. Instead, it will be infamous for Referee Aaron Jackson sending off all eight ball boys at Huish Park after noticing repeated instances of delays in giving the ball back to Bromley players.
#3) Lierse vs Anderlecht {(September 2010) (What is it with Ball boy interventions and Septembers?)}
While all the ball boys have made this list for doing something impactful, this little boy makes it to the list for not doing anything, well anything related to football anyway. When Anderlecht travelled to Lierse back in 2010, goal keeper Silvio Proto was made to feel unwelcome by one particular ball boy.
Not only did the ball boy refuse to give Proto the ball but when the keeper forced his way to the ball, he provoked him and acted like he wanted to fight. If his feelings weren’t clear, after the match, the little ball boy decided to wait for the Anderlecht goalkeeper by the tunnel.
#2) Swansea vs Chelsea (January 2013)
Imagine contributing massively to your team qualifying for the Capital one Cup finals over Chelsea without taking to the pitch. That is exactly what Swansea ball boy, Charlie Morgan did when he helped Eden Hazard get evicted with a straight red card.
Swansea had won the first leg 2-0 and a draw would have sufficed to take them to the final. In a bid to help his team by wasting time, the 17-year-old smothered the ball with his body. Eden Hazard, knowing fully well what was happening, attempted to get the ball by repeatedly kicking it from under him. The ball boy feigned injury, and the Belgian received his marching orders.
Chelsea crashed out of the Capital One Cup semi-finals 2-0 on aggregate. The loss was made even worse after it had been revealed that Morgan, son of a Swansea director, had boasted about his time wasting skills on Twitter before the match.
#1) Liverpool vs Barcelona (May 2019)
While Charlie Morgan helped his team qualify for the Capital one Cup final with top level time wasting skills, 14-year old Oakley Cannonier, helped Liverpool qualify for the Champions league final with his quick thinking.
When a second ball rebounded onto the pitch, Cannonier quickly retrieved it and passed a second ball to Trent Alexander-Arnold, who took the now famous quick corner to help Liverpool win 4-0 and qualify for the Champions League final.
The 14-year old revealed that the Liverpool ball boys were told that Barcelona reacted slowly to corners. The teen remembered that advice during the match and applied it to great effect.
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