Earlier this week, we brought you possibly the most bizarre free-kick routine we’ve ever seen.It happened in a Japanese youth game between Takagawa Gakuen High School and Seiryo High School in the All Japan High School tournament.With a free-kick in a dangerous position, their five attacking players formed a circle on the edge of the penalty area.
ENTER GIVEAWAYThey then held hands and started dancing in a circle.What on earth were they doing?The defenders obviously couldn’t mark them too tightly as they span around before breaking off to attack the inswinging free-kick.With the opposition perplexed, the ball was headed in by one of Takagawa Gakuen's players.Amazing.
But we’ve now discovered another piece of bizarre brilliance in the very same tournament.This time, it wasn’t a free kick. Instead, it was a penalty.The match between Ryutsu Keizai Ogashi and Kindai Wakayama finished 1-1 and a penalty shootout followed.And one of Ryutsu Keizai Ogashi may have just earned a Guinness World Record.QUIZ: The Big Fat Sport Quiz of 2021Why?Because it’s probably the longest penalty run-up in football history.The side’s second penalty taker took a quite ridiculous 35 SECONDS from the referee blowing his whistle and him taking the kick. The first 10 seconds of which he just stood still. The rest, he edged forward before a little hop at the end.Most importantly, the penalty was successful as he sent the goalkeeper the wrong way.
VIDEO: 35 Second run-up during a penalty shootout
And it certainly got fans on Reddit talking. Here is some of the reaction:
“What the hell is going on in Japanese high school football?” one asked
“Take so long the goalkeeper ages and his reaction times slow,” another joked.
A third added: “That made me irrationally angry.”
“I literally dozed off in the middle of the video,” another said.
A fifth said: “Like a combo of Pogba and Jorginho in one. Obnoxious.”
Unfortunately, it didn’t help them win the shootout.