Every boy and girl who grows up in the AS Roma youth team shares the same list of dreams.
Among these are the most common ambitions: pull on the yellow and red jersey as a senior player, score goals and celebrate in front of Curva Sud and score goals against rivals SS Lazio.
Daniele Verde arrived in the Italian capital as a teenager as early as 2010, but his dreams of becoming a Giallorossi superstar were never fully realized. He made a handful of first team appearances for Roma, but never experienced the joy of meeting the net.
The 24-year-old ticked off one of these things from the “to-do list” on Saturday afternoon, but nevertheless put a finally meaningless equalizer for Spezia against le Aquile. But no one knew the insignificance of the strike at that time and, to be honest, it does not matter.
Verde scored one of the season’s goals in Spezia’s 2-1 defeat to Lazio, and one of the biggest cycling kicks you’ll ever see on a football pitch.
We love one? goal?
Spezias Daniele Verde with the sauce pic.twitter.com/gXCxcFcmXn
– International Champions Cup (@IntChampionsCup) April 3, 2021
The moment arrived in the 73rd minute of the Serie A clash, with Lazio holding on to their narrow one-goal advantage. The hosts were very determined at the back, and it seemed like it would take something quite special to beat Pepe Reina.
This is where Verde steps in. Winger Emmanuel Gyasi won a physical duel with Adam Marusic on the left flank and tore against the guideline.
Quick run out of space, the winger swung his left boot towards the ball and pulled a deep, powerful cross out of the bag. His delivery hit the front post with ease and sailed towards the back post, level with the penalty spot.
The cross fell slightly behind the ongoing Verde, but that did not stop it from digging deep to produce something unthinkable.
? THE GOAL FOR THE SEASONAL CONTROL?
Daniele Verde made this incredible cycling kick for Spezia against Lazio this afternoon?
“As good an overhead kick as you will ever see.” ? pic.twitter.com/682lPoNe52
– Premier Sports? (@PremierSportsTV) April 3, 2021
With the ball well above head height (especially for the 5’6 winger), Verde adjusted his body, planted himself with his back to the goal and distorted his body so that his head was a foot or so off the floor and his legs were high above the clouds.
The former Romanian man threw a left boot in the direction of the powerful cross and met the ball with the cutest connections and drove it towards the Reina and Lazio goal. All attempts to deny Verde his moment were meaningless and a potential violation of football.
Fortunately, Reina got nowhere near the ball as it shook the top corner, kissed the crossbar and bounced down to give maximum satisfaction to spectators around the world. The pace and accuracy of the shot surprised us all, as commentators rolled while trying to describe the madness they had just seen.
Will Daniele Verde’s goal be won by PUSKAS? pic.twitter.com/eSHE1GtTH5
– Boleiro Guerreiro (@boleiroguerreir) April 3, 2021
It was a really memorable moment during our season, and one that will ultimately draw bittersweet memories for Verde, who will need to warn this goal with, “but we recognized a last-minute penalty for losing the game,” when he discusses his magical acrobatics.
Still, we will forever overlook the result, Daniele, for football is the beautiful game and not a result. Pele taught us that, and he is a man we should all listen to when it comes to our favorite sport.
