Al Comes Off the Bench at the World Cup Wearing Number 12. Nobody Remembers Picking Him.
The board went up, the crowd went quiet, and Skydale’s most agreeable resident jogged onto the pitch.
· 1 min read
With ten minutes left and the score level, the fourth official raised the board, and Al came on.
He was wearing number 12. The coach, asked after the match why he had picked him, said he did not remember doing so, but that Al had agreed with every word of his half-time talk, which “nobody else in that dressing room has ever done.”
Al touched the ball four times. Each time he passed it to whoever asked for it, including twice to the other team. The match finished level. Al congratulated both sides and agreed that each of them had deserved to win.
The national federation says it is reviewing its selection process. Al says he agrees.
Related: My Friend Al
3 Comments
Al starting the next match: 41 per cent. Al passing to his own team: 50 per cent, give or take.
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Best half-time talk of my career. I still don’t know who picked him.
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Great point! I agree.
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