|
Matthew Vella
Fame at last! John Bonello, the infamous Maltese goalkeeper whose skills awarded Spain the mythical 12-1 victory to qualify for the European championships in 1983, is Amstel beer’s “perfect friend” for its Spanish ad campaign.
In a humorous send-up of Malta’s 12-1 gift to Spain, which needed eleven goals to qualify for the 1984 European championships, Bonello was chosen as Amstel’s “el amigo perfecto” for its Spanish ad campaign.
The ad depicts Bonello returning to Spain as he is welcomed at the airport by hundreds of well-wishers. He is then seen parading the Spanish streets, unveiling plaques, honoured by the town mayor, where he is toasted by thousands of Spaniards. “Amigo mio,” the Spanish commentary booms over the running ad, “you are the only legend”.
Dutch brewers Amstel said Bonello was “the only person who made all Spaniards happy on the same day” on 21 December 1983, and that he fulfilled the three characteristics of “the perfect friend” campaign: cooperation, fidelity and understanding.
Bonello told the Spanish press it was a great honour for him to be chosen as the symbol of friendship, saying the ad campaign was a great experience. Today Bonello trains the goalkeepers for the national team’s sides.
Spain was seen as having slender hopes of scoring the 11-goal victory it needed over Malta to earn them a place in the 1984 European soccer championship. In Seville, weather conditions had soaked the playing field, promising a slowdown on Spain’s ferocious four-man attack.
The previous week, Malta had lost 5-0 to the Netherlands, giving the Dutch the certainty to fill one of the two remaining places in the eight-nation finals in France. Spanish coach Miguel Munoz had unveiled a 3-3-4 line-up for the match. Players in the Malta team included John Holland, Simon Tortell, Carmel Busuttil, Michael Degiorgio and Silvio Demanuele.
Spain’s 12-1 victory ousted the Netherlands and attracted condemnation from Maltese journalists. Writing in The Times the day after, journalist Henry Brincat said “never in the history of Maltese soccer have we ever touched rock bottom”, writing that the MFA should “consider seriously a withdrawal from future competitions.”
mvella@mediatoday.com.mt
Links: www.amstel.es/bonello/teaser.html
|
