Ex-Tottenham keeper thinks he's 'in a Nike Joga Bonito ad from the 2000s' after howler

Fiorentina and ex-Spurs shot-stopper Pierluigi Gollini evoked the spirit of Ronaldinho, Francesco Totti and Roberto Carlos with Joga Bonito-esque kick-ups before conceding

Kasra Moradi Senior Sports Journalist

09:05, 16 Sep 2022

Pierluigi Gollini tried to do kick-ups before conceding for Fiorentina

Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini committed a howler during Fiorentina’s Europa Conference League defeat on Thursday night.

The Serie A club were beaten 3-0 by Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir in Europe - and their keeper certainly didn’t help himself. The Viola shot-stopper, 27, proceeded to gift the home side a goal 70 minutes in when his team was already 1-0 down.

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Gollini intercepted a hoofed ball on the edge of his penalty area, before bafflingly deciding to juggle it despite being chased down by an opposition striker. He successfully showed off with two kick-ups before being dispossessed and being made to rue his calamitous error.

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The manner of his hilarious keepy-ups reminded fans on social media of the classic Nike football adverts dubbed ‘Joga Bonito’. In those commercials, legendary players such as Ronaldinho and Thierry Henry would often display their skills by showboating, often in the middle of a football match.

Do you think Gollini had watched Joga Bonito clips before the match? Let us know in the comments section.

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The former Spurs goalkeeper was dispossessed (Image: DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

Fans were reminded of old Nike football adverts such as the one including Francesco Totti [pictured]

One Twitter user wrote: “Any reason Gollini decided to act like he was in a Nike Joga Bonito commercial from the mid-2000s?”

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Another fan replied: “Mother******s watch Ronaldinho highlights before the game.”

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Gollini is currently on loan at Fiorentina from Atalanta where his howler would have done little to reassure his new club. He spent last season on loan at Tottenham under Antonio Conte but failed to make a single Premier League appearance.

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The majority of his 10 appearances came in the Conference League. And it appears Conte made the right call not to make his move permanent, with Spurs playing Champions League football this season.

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