Skip to content

Weird Week in Football: Banner week for bananas and bad banners

Reuters / Andrew Yates Livepic

Every Monday, theScore will highlight the most outlandish moments from the wacky, sometimes daft, and perennially entertaining world of football. Here's what made us smile - or cringe - on the pitch this past week.

A busy week of football has come and gone as the international window beckons, with England's top flight leading the charge for the silly and strange with bosses handing out bananas and the buzz of duelling banners.

Without further ado, a look back at the bizarre in the beautiful game:

Good golly poly folly

Free State Stars' Mohammed Anas was so elated after bagging a brace in a 2-2 draw with Ajax Cape Town to earn Man of the Match honours that the Ghanaian striker nearly booked himself a night on the couch.

"Thank you for this, I appreciate my fans. My wife and my girlfriend… I mean my wife, sorry! I love you so much from my heart," Anas said post-match, doing the equivalent of Rene Higuita's Scorpion Kick to save certain scorn with a last-ditch recovery.

Die-go Away

The Under-20 World Cup is in South Korea, so naturally, FIFA flew Diego Maradona and the comparably fancy-footed but not nearly as spherical Argentine Pablo Aimar into Suwon for some five-a-side.

England supporters who maintain painful recollections of 1986, look away, as Maradona revisited his famous "Hand of God Goal" as he hammed it up for the cameras.

Since February, Maradona has been working as an ambassador for the world football governing body. "Finally I can fulfill one of the lifelong dreams; to work for a clean and transparent FIFA alongside people who really love football," the former Boca Juniors and Napoli man announced on Facebook without even a hint of irony.

Dads day at Disney

Speaking of Argentine football legends, Lionel Messi, with family in tow, was spotted at Disneyland Paris during the week, despite his best efforts to remain incognito.

(Photo courtesy: Mundo Deportivo)

As it turns out, Messi, and another noted footballing family man, Paris Saint-Germain's Marco Verratti, were both at Disney the same day and reportedly staying in the same hotel just days after Barcelona made a fool of the Ligue 1 side in one of the most historic comebacks in Champions League history. Awkward.

"How old are you owwwww??"

It seems Bournemouth's Jack Wilshere has a case of the Chancel Mbembas.

Related: The man with 4 birthdays: How old is Newcastle's Chancel Mbemba?

Chatting with Sky Sports, Wilshere waxed poetic about his career to date and the obstacles he's faced, especially this season whilst on loan from Arsenal, though It would appear his recollection of certain factors isn't quite up to snuff.

Hmmmmmm...

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox