Sergio Pizzorno fulfilled a lifetime dream by scoring a stunning goal at Old Trafford during Soccer Aid, only to have his ego punctured by Roy Keane.
Pizzorno scored one of the charity match’s most famous goals in 2012, chipping former England goalkeeper David Seaman from ex-Arsenal midfielder Freddie Ljungberg’s pass. It was an incredibly nonchalant piece of skill – especially when you consider it came from the right foot of a guitarist.
The Kasabian star is no stranger to the beautiful game, having had trials at Nottingham Forest as a youngster, and impressed on a Soccer AM segment by smashing in a tasty volley. But his goal for the Rest of the World against England at Old Trafford is his crowning achievement in football.
He was quickly congratulated by his team-mates, Hollywood actors Will Ferrell and Mike Myers and ex-pros Ljungberg and Clarence Seedorf. But when his team returned to the dressing room at half-time with a 1-0 lead, Pizzorno had to go face-to-face with a much harsher critic: Keane.
“I’ve got so many memories that will stay with me forever,” Pizzorno recalled on talkSPORT. “Being in the dressing room with Seedorf and Roy Keane and them talking about maybe Roy could have gone to Juventus, and I’m sitting there thinking ‘I’m actually here, with all these talking about this mad stuff!’.
HAVE YOUR SAY! What are your memories of that goal? Was it a fluke, or a great finish? Comment below.
“The game came and I saw him (Seaman) off his line and I thought ‘I’ve got no legs, so I may as well have a little dink’ and it went in – and then to be congratulated by Freddie Ljungberg and Austin Powers and Will Ferrell…
“The best thing though is when I went in at half-time. Roy Keane is on the bench getting physio because he did his hamstring. I walked in, strutting like I’m basically the king of the world at this point and I open the door and Roy Keane goes: ‘That was a cross, wasn’t it?’ Then Seaman popped his head in and gave me a not very nice sign.”
Sadly for Pizzorno, his goal did not count for much, as England roared back in the second half to win 3-1. Goals from former England strikers Teddy Sheringham and Kevin Phillips – and one from TV presenter and Soccer Aid regular Jonathan Wilkes – sealed the comeback for Sam Allardyce’s side.
But his goal did earn rave reviews from the likes of Robbie Williams and Wayne Rooney. "In all fairness, the goal was absolute class,” said Williams in the post-match debrief. “And I’m made up for Serge because he's going to have that for the rest of his life.”
Rooney added: “That’s probably the best goal I’ve seen at Old Trafford in the last five or 10 years. I’m serious!”
