If you were a manager who gave your team one last pep talk before they went out on the field to play Brazil, the chances of you doing your best emphasize the importance of keeping things tight early.
Shockingly, we were not familiar with Colombian boss Reinaldo Rueda’s team talk before his side’s Copa America collision with Selecao on Wednesday night, but there is a clear possibility that the instruction “make sure we are still on equal terms after ten minutes” was sliced out – but probably in Spanish.
Luis Diaz had other ideas.
Brazil had not yet conceded a goal in the Copa America 2021 on their way into the match, with extensive victories against Venezuela and Peru saw them take maximum points from their first two Group A excursions, so it would take something special to break their defense.
When Juan Cuadrado swung a deep cross towards the back post, his Juventus teammate Danilo was caught under the ball as it sailed over both his and Colombian midfielder Mateus Uribe’s head.
Arrived late into the box was Diaz, but he looked suspicious of his run and was in front of the ball as it drifted over to the back post. Turns out it was not wrong at all, he knew exactly what he was doing.
Incredible from Colombia’s Luis Diaz! ‘Watch #CopaAmerica live on @BBCiPlayer? https://t.co/gtG8hdBNRf #bbcfootball pic.twitter.com/1loQ6OD3x2
– BBC Sport (@BBCSport) 24 June 2021
In a moment of absolute genius, the Porto edge jumped off the ground before joining the ball perfectly and sending it past the helpless Weverton into goal.
What made the strike even more special was the boldness and technique that was shown a few milliseconds before he joined the ball. This was not your usual, cycling moss standard using the ol-scissors technique, he really walked with both feet.
At the point of contact, the Colombian midfielder looked more like an Olympic diver than a football player, although he had definitely lost points on the landing after stopping to look like your drunk uncle at a cousin’s birthday party trying to do a backflip, but now we just picky.
Football’s various governing bodies around the world seem to intend to change the game or “improve it” as they like to call it, and if there is a change we are willing to champion after seeing Luiz’s strike it is that two-legged overhead kicks should count twice if they go in.
Luis Diaz fantastic acrobatic goals against Brazil / CARL DE SOUZA / Getty Images
The fact that one of the best goals in Copa America history ultimately counts for nothing does not feel really good, with Roberto Firmino equalizing in the 78th minute and Real Madrid’s Casemiro beating the winner in the tenth minute added time.
The result does not affect Colombia’s progress to the knockout rounds, which have already booked their place in the quarterfinals, and despite the loss, they can at least sleep safely in the knowledge that the Tournament Goal is already in the bag.
