Now, I feel obliged to mention at this point the moment everyone knows Palermo for, when he missed 3 penalties in the same match for Argentina against Colombia in the 1999 Copa América. Now as much as this was comical. I was angry he was cast as a rubbish player, his club career rubbished and the fact he scored 2 goals in the previous game against Ecuador. He didn't turn into a bad player overnight. He returned to Boca after the tournament and carried on banging in the goals.
Then, in November 1999 he teared his anterior cruciate ligament. He was not aware of the true extent of the injury as he netted his 100th career goal. A 6 month absence was what the doctor ordered. He returned to first team action as a substitute in the 2000 Copa Libertadores to score what he described as "the most emotional goal of my career" scoring the 3rd goal in the 3-0 quarter final win over fierce local rivals River Plate. Later on in 2000 he helped Boca become world champions by scoring both goals in the 2-1 win over Real Madrid. I was as happy as the die-hard Boca fan.
With him destroying Real, he moved to Spain. Villareal paid €7.6m for him in 2001, and my lack of Sky I missed much of his career in Spain. I remember hearing he broke his leg after a small concrete wall collasped as he celebrated on it. His Spanish Career never really recovered. Spells at Real Betis and Alavez were not successful. Los Xeneizes came calling.
On July 13th 2004, Martín came home, and I've developed from VHS to just staying up, like it was a sordid little secret. All I wanted to see Martín return to form, and that he did. An example of this is scoring a hat-trick against former club Estudiantes, not celebrating a single goal, and the very next game scoring 4 against Estudiantes fierce rivals Gimnasia de la Plata. He is the record goal scorer for Boca in the professional era. His 200th goal for Boca was a bicycle kick against Deportivo Táchira. His 200th goal in the Argentine First Division was a 40 yard header. His goal scoring pedigree earned him a very long overdue call up to the Argentina squad now managed by Diego Maradona. His first start for a decade at international level was against Ghana, he scored both goals in a 2-0 win, he scored another 3 goals in his next 3 games for La Albiceleste, assuring his place at the 2010 World Cup.
In his first World Cup appearance, coming on as an 80th minute substitute, he scored on 89th minute, becoming the oldest Argentinean to score at a World Cup at 36, taking the record of the head coach. I was the happiest person in the pub when he scored. Even more excited when he signed a one year contract extension. It means i've got until next summer to brace myself for his retirement.
Martín is a legend at Boca Juniors and rightly so. Strikers like him are few and far between, It's a crime he didn't win more caps, if he scored a bucket load in Spain everything could of been different. But lets not dwell on it lets celebrate the career of Martín Palermo. My Hero. My favourite player.
With him destroying Real, he moved to Spain. Villareal paid €7.6m for him in 2001, and my lack of Sky I missed much of his career in Spain. I remember hearing he broke his leg after a small concrete wall collasped as he celebrated on it. His Spanish Career never really recovered. Spells at Real Betis and Alavez were not successful. Los Xeneizes came calling.
On July 13th 2004, Martín came home, and I've developed from VHS to just staying up, like it was a sordid little secret. All I wanted to see Martín return to form, and that he did. An example of this is scoring a hat-trick against former club Estudiantes, not celebrating a single goal, and the very next game scoring 4 against Estudiantes fierce rivals Gimnasia de la Plata. He is the record goal scorer for Boca in the professional era. His 200th goal for Boca was a bicycle kick against Deportivo Táchira. His 200th goal in the Argentine First Division was a 40 yard header. His goal scoring pedigree earned him a very long overdue call up to the Argentina squad now managed by Diego Maradona. His first start for a decade at international level was against Ghana, he scored both goals in a 2-0 win, he scored another 3 goals in his next 3 games for La Albiceleste, assuring his place at the 2010 World Cup.
In his first World Cup appearance, coming on as an 80th minute substitute, he scored on 89th minute, becoming the oldest Argentinean to score at a World Cup at 36, taking the record of the head coach. I was the happiest person in the pub when he scored. Even more excited when he signed a one year contract extension. It means i've got until next summer to brace myself for his retirement.
Martín is a legend at Boca Juniors and rightly so. Strikers like him are few and far between, It's a crime he didn't win more caps, if he scored a bucket load in Spain everything could of been different. But lets not dwell on it lets celebrate the career of Martín Palermo. My Hero. My favourite player.
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