Stunning Strike and a Half by Toshihiro Aoyama
I suppose in an age where sportsmen and women can copyright their name and their trademark sayings and all the bill toppers have mammoth image rights contracts a lot of thought has to go into what image is being sold.
Fans identify with colors, which is why kit becomes so important. Certain players get paid millions of dollars to wear the right boots or the brand new kicks. It is the same reason that advertisements for soft drinks are one of the staples of the high-end star’s revenue stream. Image is so important that newspapers can fly off a news stand should it have pictures of David Beckham’s new hairstyle.
This last example specifically from the world of soccer is relevant, at least when you compare it to this goal from Hiroshima’s Toshihiro Aoyama, in the Japanese J-League.
It shows a spectacular and memorable goal, certainly, but by aligning this with a zany team celebration it means that people will identify this as one of the virals of 2012. This could just be another great goal, but twinned with the celebration it will be THAT goal from Japan.
This is the majesty of the internet. However, there is always something to compare it with and already professional soccer stars are getting together in changing rooms plotting a camera-grabber of a celebration. Maybe we will see some in the EURO2012 competition? The stage is there…
Of course, before this is even a consideration it must be said that despite Aoyama’s screamer and a half-strike and any other group move there will always be a nod to the past masters: Stjarnan FC.
