We probably would have been celebrating, too.
It looked for all the world as if the penalty shot had simply caromed off the top of the goal post, ending the game, and giving 17-year-old goalkeeper Akkaradet Jangporn a memory to cherish.
Of course, unless you’ve been living under a rock the past few days, you know that magic moment lasted about two seconds.
Speaking to Coconuts in an exclusive interview today, the Satri Angthong Academy goalkeeper said he was in absolute shock when — seconds after he ran out to celebrate the miss with his teammates — the ball slowly, agonizingly bounced backward and into the unprotected goal.
It was a painful, public object lesson about celebrating too soon. So, obviously, it took the internet by storm.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKu8vtBOwqo
Footage of the play from Saturday’s semi-final of the “Champ 7 See,” a national high school football team league, was picked up by numerous outlets around the globe. Even US-based ESPN got into the act, dubbing his premature celebration “a lesson from Thailand.”
“We were tied at 2-2. My school was in the lead first. It was the heat of the moment, because both teams were very competitive. At that point, my teammates were already running towards me [to celebrate],” the high school senior told us this afternoon.
“The ball hit the bar and bounced so far away. I didn’t think it would go [back] into the goal. I was so happy that I forgot to look at the ball. When I realized what happened, it was too late,” he said.
“I was in absolute shock… how is that even possible? Then I just blamed myself,” he said.
After his team missed their next penalty attempt, their opponent, Bangkok Sports School, ended up winning the game 20-19 and Akkaradet’s moment of internet infamy was sealed.
But you know what? The 17-year-old is handling all this pretty darn well.
Asked how he feels about the global attention to his miscalculation, the teen footballer showed remarkable maturity and perspective.
“It’s a life lesson. The insults from people are my motivation — I have to prove that I can be better.”
Akkaradet recalled the excitement of three years ago when he was one of just 27 teen footballers recruited by the Thai government to train at Real Madrid Academy, adding his admittedly far-fetched dream would be to play for Real Madrid C.F., his all-time favorite team.
Whether or not Spain’s La Liga pans out, Akkaradet is determined to keep working towards his goal of becoming a professional football player. He hopes to pursue a degree in sports science next year and play in the Thai League.
If his skill level comes anywhere near his level of pluck and resolve, we like his chances.
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