With 2024 being another leap year, here’s a look at some of the most notable incidents that have taken place in football on February 29.
like the world Cup (for now at least), February 29 only comes around once every four years and some notable football events have occurred on the strangest date of all.
As you probably know, a leap year contains an extra day on top of the usual 365, which is added to the end of February to maintain a level of synchronization between the Gregorian calendar year and the Earth’s actual annual rotation around the Sun.
With 2024 being another leap year, and Leap Day itself upon us once again, here’s a timely look at some of the most notable incidents that have taken place in football on February 29, going back to the year in which both the Premier League as the Champions League they began.
Ferrán Torres was born on February 29, 2000, but he is not the only professional footballer who was born on a Leap Day. Eric Verhoeven/Soccrates/Getty Images
1992
Eric Cantona He scored his first goal in English football on February 29, 1992, more than a month after signing for the Leeds United coming from the In the name French. After coming off the bench against Luton Town, Cantona managed to open his account and provide an assist in a 2-0 victory for his new team, whom the French striker helped propel to the last title of the English Division One before the top flight was relaunched as the Premier League for the 1992-93 season.
2000
Ferran Torres was born on February 29, 2000, which, assuming that the forward of the Barcelona He’s only been able to celebrate his birthday every four years since then, technically making him seven years old today, surely the secret to his youthful appearance.
Ferran He is not the only professional footballer to have been born on a Leap Day; in fact, he shares his birthday with a select group that includes the former international United States Taylor Twellman (born in 1980) and the German midfielder who won the Copa del Mundo Benedikt Höwedes (1988). The hero of Crystal Palace Darren Ambrose He was also born on February 29, 1984, which means he has the distinct honor of sharing his birthday with none other than hip-hop star and Fyre Festival founder Ja Rule.
The same day he was born Ferranhe Bayern Munich galloped to a 4-2 thrashing of the Real Madrid in the second group stage of the Champions League. Bayern led the group, but it was the Spaniards who had the last laugh. Madrid advanced to the knockout stage, beating Bayern in the semi-finals, before lifting the trophy by beating Bayern 3-0. Valencia in the end.
2004
Harry Kewell had a great performance by scoring for the Liverpool in a two-goal draw against his former club, the Leeds Unitedin Elland Road on February 29, 2004. Kewell then asserted his right to forever be known as football’s “Mr. Leap Year” by scoring for Australia on February 29, 2012. The Socceroos swept a dramatic 4-2 victory over Saudi Arabia in qualifying play for the world Cup with a late three-goal surge ending Saudi’s hopes of reaching the 2014 tournament in Brazil.
2008
Leap Day in 2008 brought a merciful end to a controversial and protracted transfer saga that had begun the previous November. Javier Mascherano finally completed his permanent move to Liverpool from West Hamhaving previously been on loan at Anfield for over a year.
The deal had been delayed for months due to legal complications with Mascherano and third-party ownership of its economic rights, under which it joined the West Ham United two years earlier from Corinthians Brazilian with his compatriot Carlos Tevez. However, things were eventually resolved and the Argentina international’s £18 million transfer was ratified. Shortly after, FIFA, UEFA and the Premier League moved to ban third-party ownership entirely.
2012
The men’s national team USA enjoyed a little magic Leap Day in 2012 when they achieved a famous 1-0 victory over Italy in an international friendly, beating the Azzurri for the first time in history. Clint Dempsey scored the decisive goal just after halftime, but it was the United States’ solid defensive display after that, led by captain Carlos Bocanegra, that really sealed the deal in Genoa.
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Earlier in the day, Stuart Pearce suffered from losing his first and only match as England manager, after taking over as caretaker manager following the sacking of Fabio Capello, in a 3-2 loss against the Netherlands. Arjen Robben scored the late goal that condemned “Psycho” and his players to their disappointing fate in Wembley. If you’re wondering if Robben He cut from the right and finished deftly with his left foot, so wonder no more…
2016
After being sworn in as successor to Sepp Blatter, Gianni Infantino marked his first day in office as FIFA president with a star-studded football match that took place on Leap Day outside his new office in Zurich. A number of former players participated in the game with Luis Figo, Robert Pires, Michel Salgado, Clarence Seedorf and Deco helping to form a list of luxury players for the occasion.
2020
There were parties of the Premier League played on 29 February for the first time since 2004, as five top-flight games took place on Leap Day in 2020.
The most memorable was the surprise 3-0 victory of the Watford about him Liverpool at Vicarage Road, mainly because the former were hovering in the relegation zone at the time and the latter were just five results away from equaling the Invincibles’ 49-game Premier League unbeaten run. Arsenal. The Reds were also on an 18-game winning streak in the league, although that all came crashing down as the Hornets pulled themselves out of relegation with a truly momentous performance.
Ismaila Sarr He also made his own Premier League history by becoming the first player to score two goals on Leap Day, although the Senegalese winger’s achievement was equaled later that day when the defender Chelsea, Marcos Alonsoscored a double in a 2-2 draw against the AFC Bournemouth.
2024-02-29 17:05:14
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