Camilo Sanvezzo: Great Goals Retold

Camilo Sanvezzo is a nomad. From his native Brazil to Malta to South Korea to Canada and Mexico, the forward has played for five clubs in five countries, topping the league’s goal charts in three of them. In MLS, his legacy was one heck of a goal.

The 26-year-old, who now links up with Ronaldinho at Queretaro and was nearing a European move before tearing an ACL in his right knee in December, mixes Brazilian flair with a killer instinct in front of goal. Playing for Vancouver against Portland Timbers, he combined the two perfectly.

The final net-buster in a 2-2 draw, assisted by former Tottenham full-back Lee Young-Pyo, won a point for the Canadian side and MLS Goal of the Year.

“It was one of those crazy matches where everything goes right for a striker,” he says. “We were losing, but midway through the second half I equalised with a fine free-kick. A minute later, they made it 2-1. It took us less than a minute after that to start the move for our second goal.

“Our left winger made several dummies before delivering a dangerous cross. The ball flew all the way across the box without anyone touching it until it got to Lee Young-Pyo, who put in a first-touch cross to me near the edge of the box.

“The truth is: I couldn’t plan. I had only tenths of a second to decide whether to control the ball or shoot. I realised it was too high for me to try a normal volley, so the only way to go was a scissor kick. Luckily it went in – otherwise, I might have embarrassed myself!

“It’s my most beautiful goal. I’m honoured it was considered the best in that season’s MLS and was named a candidate for the FIFA Puskas Award.”

This interview originally featured in the April 2015 edition of FourFourTwo magazine. Subscribe!