Watching the AFCON qualifier between Madagascar and Tunisia on beIN Sports, I couldn’t help but smile. The Tunisian goalie, trying to control a Madagascar corner kick, gave us a moment of pure chaos—slapping the ball like a volleyball straight into his own net. I chuckled. We all make mistakes; I’ve had my share of own goals. It’s the errors, the lack of concentration, the “Oops!”—or as we say in Spanish, La Pifia—that make soccer unforgettable. 

This got me reminiscing about other recent blunders. Like the Champions League match between Brugge and Aston Villa a few weeks ago. Dibu Martínez, Villa’s World Cup-winning keeper, had the ball in full control. He surveyed his options, dropped it at his feet, and gently passed it to Tyrone Mings. Mings, focused on the Belgian attack, thought the ball had wandered off its spot, picked it up, and handed it back to Dibu, who was probably wondering:

1. “What did Tyrone drink at halftime?”
2. “CARA%$#$%!”
3. “How do I convince the ref this ball wasn’t in play?”
4. “Who’s taking the penalty, and how do I psych him out?”

Brugge won thanks to that penalty, and I can’t imagine the heckling Villa fans endured at pubs on Trinity Road. But hey, these moments are what make soccer endlessly entertaining.

Here are a few iconic pifias worth revisiting:

1. Pelé vs. Uruguay, Mexico 1970: I don’t know if this qualifies as a blooper or just pure magic, but it’s a moment I’ll never forget. Brazil was on the attack. Tostão sent a diagonal ball slicing through Uruguay’s defense, and out of nowhere, Pelé appeared. He had beaten everyone—except the Uruguayan keeper, Mazurkiewicz, who charged out to cut him off. But with his unmatched grace, O Rei feinted with his whole body, letting the ball run past both him and the keeper. Then, with his signature speed, Pelé chased the ball down, now at an impossible angle, and took the shot. The entire world willed that ball to go in. But it didn’t. It rolled wide. Pelé missed the goal—his best goal—and in doing so, created the greatest “non-goal” in World Cup history.
2. Higuita’s Risky Gamble, Italy 1990: Back in 1990, I lived in the small Mallorcan village of Andratx, where every young soccer player sported a short, tidy haircut. Then came Colombia, dazzling the world with their skill and flair—and their glorious long hair. Valderrama, Rincón, Higuita—they were artists on the field, and the kids in Andratx wanted to look just like them. Colombia had a shot at the semifinals, but René Higuita’s love for risk proved costly. In overtime against Cameroon, he ventured out of his box to dribble, attempting to fool the savvy 38-year-old Roger Milla. But Milla read him like a book, snatched the ball, and scored the goal that sent Cameroon through. Higuita, as brilliant as he was eccentric, left Colombia heartbroken. Caramba!
3. Arconada’s Heartbreaking Slip, Euro 1984: The life of a goalkeeper can be cruel. Even after a stellar career, one mistake can define your legacy—especially if you’re Spanish and Basque. In the Euro final, Michel Platini’s free kick seemed easy enough. It floated gently into Arconada’s arms, but somehow, inexplicably, it slipped through his hands and trickled into the net. That goal—El gol de Arconada—handed France the trophy and etched his name in history for all the wrong reasons. For me, it’s a reminder of how unforgiving the sport can be, especially for keepers.
4. Seaman’s Halfway Heartbreak, Zaragoza 1995: David Seaman had a storied career, but even the greats have their blind spots. And Seaman’s was long-range shots. In the 1995 European Cup Winners’ Cup final, Arsenal faced Zaragoza. With the game tied and the clock ticking down, Nayim—standing near the halfway line—let loose an audacious lob. I was on the edge of my seat, chewing my nails, and then... the ball soared over Seaman’s head and into the net. Zaragoza won 2-1 in stunning fashion. Years later, Ronaldinho pulled off a similar trick in the 2002 World Cup, knocking England out with another lobbed free kick. Both times, Seaman was caught too far off his line—a tragic flaw in an otherwise brilliant career.
5. Palermo’s Triple Miss, Copa América 1999: Goalkeepers usually dominate soccer’s blooper reels, but Martín Palermo, a striker, owns one of the sport’s most infamous records. I’ll never forget Argentina’s match against Colombia. Watching with an Argentinian friend—a die-hard Boca Juniors fan—I saw Palermo step up to take three penalties. The first hit the crossbar. Undeterred, he took another—wide. And then, late in the match, he stepped up for a third. This time, Colombia’s keeper Miguel Calero saved it. Colombia won 3-0, and my friend cursed the heavens for days. Palermo went down in history as the only player to miss three penalties in a single match—a feat that ultimately ended his international career.

Soccer is a treasure trove of mistakes, and honestly, we could talk about them forever. Missed penalties? Oh, there’s a buffet of heartbreak from Maradona to Messi to Kane. Take Baggio in the 1994 World Cup final, launching the ball into orbit over the crossbar against Brazil. Or Higuaín’s infamous whiff against Germany in the 2014 World Cup final—a moment that probably still haunts him. The list is endless, and depending on who you are, these moments are either comedy gold or absolute tragedy. It’s that beautiful blend of yin and yang—ecstasy for some, agony for others—that makes soccer so irresistible. And yet, I can’t help but go back to Pelé’s non-goal. If only that ball had gone in! What a different world we’d live in today.