The number 13. Unlucky for some. Despite it being Friday 13th, we hope your day is filled with festive joy and fortune. And no better way to start your Friday than with our Football Advent Calendar!
The Football Faithful’s Advent Calendar: December 13th
Shirt Number: 13
Carlos Roa technically wore the number, albeit with a bit of a modification to it.
While at Real Mallorca, the goalkeeper wore the number 13 but added a decimal point in between the numbers.
It has been speculated that Roa did this to represent his devotion to religion; with one representing Jesus and three the Holy Spirt.
But his faith extended further than just his jersey.
Roa’s life has been turbulent, to say the least. In 1999, he prematurely retired from football to focus his full attention on religion.
As a Seventh-day Adventist, he was convinced that an apocalypse would commence at the turn of the Millennium.
Just a year later, with the planet still intact, he came out of retirement to join Mallorca. But on one condition; Saturdays would be his day of rest in alignment with his beliefs.
After being heavily linked with Manchester United and Arsenal the stopper remained in Spain.
In 2004 he was diagnosed with testicular cancer – another health battle to fight after previously contracting malaria.
The Argentine made a full recovery and came out of retirement again before hanging up his gloves for good in 2006. Nowadays you’ll find him as the goalkeeping coach at AEK Athens
Thomas Muller followed in his namesake and football idol Gerd Muller’s footsteps by wearing the typically unlucky number 13.
Thomas Muller has been there, done that, for SIXTEEN seasons#beINSPORTS #beINUCL pic.twitter.com/kp2QpbYHtX
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTSASIA) December 12, 2024
However, it proved very lucky for the pair with Gerd one of only nine players to win the World Cup, Champions League and Ballon d’Or and Thomas the record appearance maker for Bayern Munich.
Match on this Day: Argentina book their spot in World Cup final
Due to the differing climate, the 2022 World Cup hosted by Qatar had to be played in winter.
Two years ago, Argentina met Croatia in the semi-finals of the biggest football tournament.
After a nervy opening half hour, Lionel Scaloni’s team were awarded a penalty with Julian Alvarez impeded by Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic.
Lionel Messi stepped up to take the spot-kick and emphatically dispatched the penalty into the roof of the net.
Minutes later, Argentina had doubled the advantage. A brisk counter-attack saw Alvarez cut through the Croatian backline before flicking in his country’s second.
The South Americans secured their spot in the final midway through the second half and it was the two goalscorers that combined to devastating effect once more.
Messi caused nightmares for Josko Gvardiol before getting to the byline and cutting it back for Alvarez who had the simple task of tapping home.
La Albiceleste would lift the World Cup in Lusail after overcoming France in a thrilling final, in what was Messi’s crowning moment.
Footballer Born on this Day: Santi Cazorla
The former Arsenal midfielder is celebrating his fourth decade on the planet today.
In his second spell at boyhood club Real Oviedo, the Spaniard scored his first goal for the Segunda Division outfit at the weekend with a penalty against Racing Ferrol.
It’s a miracle that Cazorla is still playing football considering the severity of the Achilles tendon injury he sustained in 2016 while at Arsenal.
He endured eight operations on his ankle and contracted gangrene. The infection had doctors fearing he would never walk again, let alone play the beautiful game.
🇪🇸💙 Santi Cazorla on his Real Oviedo return: “I would play for free, but you’re not allowed.”
“They made a good offer… I called my agent: ‘I don’t want any money’.”
“I told the president: minimum salary, 10% of shirt sales to the academy. It was done that night.”
Cazorla… pic.twitter.com/rFzcudHFTp
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) December 13, 2024
However, after 636 days out he would make an appearance for Villarreal after departing Arsenal in 2020.
The term ‘both-footed’ is tossed around a lot in football these days, but it doesn’t apply to anyone more than Cazorla.
He took corners and free-kicks with either foot and his technical prowess saw him make 81 caps for his country.
Aston Villa super sub Jhon Duran also turns 21 today. The Colombian certainly has a big future ahead of him having already reached double digits for goals this campaign.
Fact: A Christmas tragedy at Villa Park
The year is 1998 and Christmas is fast approaching.
In a game between Aston Villa and Arsenal, the spectators were treated to entertainment during the interval with Santa parachuting down onto the pitch at Villa Park.
But the festive mood quickly turned sour.
A sudden gust of wind caused the RAF parachutist, Nigel Rogoff, to clip the edge of a stand and fall roughly 80 feet.
Rogoff badly broke both his legs and despite the best efforts of two surgeons, who were fans at the match, his legs had to be amputated.
However, the story has a wholesome ending.
In February 2016 the former military man was part of a team of rowers who became the first amputees to row the Atlantic Ocean!
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