Last week, something caught the eye in Racing’s 2-1 winning goal in Argentina, which eliminated Corinthians in the semi-final of the Copa Sudamericana.
In the match in Avellaneda, in the 39th minute of the first half, the Corinthians defense avoided an attack with a high shot, away, from the sideline.
A ball boy quickly – really quickly, in the blink of an eye – gave another ball to a Racing player, who immediately launched it into the attack, without allowing the opposing rearguard to reposition itself properly.
There was a header from Martínez and the ball reached Quintero, who entered the area at speed and shot firmly past goalkeeper Hugo.
After the match, the Racing team threw a party for the ball boy – whose name is Martín Santoro, and plays for the club’s youth teams – whose participation was decisive in the winning goal, which earned a place in the decision against Cruzeiro.
The ball boys, figures present in football for several decades, are selected by the team hosting the match and have the task of, when the ball leaves the field, delivering another one (which is already with them) to a player who presents themselves. Once that’s done, he’ll pick up the one that had left the game.
I attended stadiums in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and at the time there weren’t as many balls available for a game as there are today. There was the main one and, as I remember, two or three reserves, used only if the starter was unavailable.
So, when the ball left the field, the ball boy would run off to catch it. If it reached the fans, I hoped they would give it back. It usually happened, but it took a while.
As they have a link with the team that plays at home, the ball boys tend, especially here in South America, to be partial: they either rush or delay the replacement of the ball, according to the interest of the moment.
This takes away neutrality in the treatment of teams, which should not occur, and causes situations of irritation among the players and the visiting team’s coaching staff.
To avoid this problem, the organizers of the English Championship came up with an innovative and intelligent idea.
Starting this year, it was determined, via regulation, that the ball boy (“ball boy”, in English, and “recogepelotas” or “alcanzapelotas”, in Spanish) no longer delivers the ball directly to the player.
Plastic cones are spread around the pitch (five along each side line and two in the space of each end line, for a total of 14), and a ball is placed on each one.
It is up to the player to catch the ball that is in one of these cones to restart the match. The ball boy’s job is exclusively to refill the empty cone.
I watch Premier League matches quite often, and the problem involving ball boys is over.
Championships around the world, including in Brazil (hello, CBF and state federations!), should replicate this practice.
In time: why is the ball catcher called a ball boy? A very widespread version involves the Argentine Bernardo Gandulla (1916-1999), who played for Vasco in 1939 and 1940. Until his documentation was regularized so he could play, he stayed at the edge of the field, quickly replacing the ball that came out. His last name ended up being linked to ball catchers.
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