04 Feb 2026

Once more with feeling

Zito Madu on a life of showmanship in sports

Photo illustration by Joe MacLeod. A graffito in honour of Jose Mourinho and his and AS Roma's UEFA Europa Conference League win in 2022 in the streets of Rome, Italy, photo by Vincenzo.togni via Wikipedia; and Sport Lisboa e Benfica emblem by José Rosa Rodrigues, via Wikipedia.

Today: Zito Madu, a journalist and author of The Minotaur at Calle Lanza.

Issue No. 495

Mourinho Against the World
Zito Madu

Mourinho Against the World

by Zito Madu

I started laughing when I saw Benfica’s goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin going up to become an outfield keeper in the team’s last minute freekick against Real Madrid. Benfica were already on the verge of an unforgettable victory. They were up 3-2 against Real Madrid, even after having a penalty cancelled out in the first half. By that 98th minute, Real Madrid was down and down two men after Raul Asencio and Rodrygo were red carded. Anything can happen with Real Madrid, but still it seemed that Benfica were going to win the game.

But winning by a goal wasn’t going to be enough. The stage was set for something much more exciting. In order to get to the knockout round of the tournament, Benfica needed one more goal. So after Benfica won a freekick with the last few seconds ticking down, midfielder Fredrik Aursnes readied himself and in the sea of the red and black jerseys of the outfield players appeared the bright yellow jersey of Benfica’s keeper.

A goalkeeper going up for a set piece is always fun to see. First of all, it reminds you that a keeper is still a player. Because of their station in goal, where the 18 yard box is the only place where they can legally use their hands, it’s easy to forget that keepers still have all the freedom of an outfield player. Most of Manuel Neuer’s career, the very idea of a sweeper keeper, serve as evidence for this truth. His starting position was often so far from his goal that he often seemed to be playing as a defender or as a midfielder rather than a goalkeeper. Neuer wasn’t the first goalkeeper to play like that, but he might be the most extreme. But because of the risk that comes with leaving the goal unprotected, or vulnerable, even the keepers who come out to sweep up long balls or through passes still maintain a high level of caution.