Cobresal goalkeeper Leandro Requena is over the moon not only because he scored a rare coast-to-coast goal against Chilean giants Colo Colo in a 3-1 win last Saturday, but also because his feat might have broken the record for the longest goal ever scored in professional soccer.
The funny thing is he wasn't even trying.
Requena's goal kick goal
The Argentine shot-stopper was enjoying a pleasant day at the office when, in the 77th minute, he tried to surprise Colo Colo with a deep goal kick for one of his strikers. However, after a treacherous bounce, the ball surpassed his colleague between the sticks and went right into the net.
⚽⚪ El primer gol arco a arco del #CampeonatoBetsson
Así fue la anotación de Leandro Requena desde su propia puerta y que dejó a Brayan Cortés quieto, provocando el error del portero albo en el #CSLvsCCxTNTSports. pic.twitter.com/HDL2K22QnS
— TNT Sports Chile (@TNTSportsCL) March 18, 2023
Despite the bad camera work from the official broadcasting, you still can see the face of despair on Colo Colo and Chilean international Bryan Cortés when he notices his naivety.
Cortés was outside the box but also didn't consider a natural factor: Cobresal's stadium is at 7,500 feet above sea level and, at those heights, with less air pressure the ball is always faster than you think.
"I can't lie. I wasn't trying to score," said an honest Requena after the game. "Unfortunately for Cortés, the bounce killed him, but luckily it went in for us."
Longest goal scored
And while Requena's goal is not the most beautiful scored by a goalkeeper, it might be the longest-ever.
Currently, the record is held by Tom King, a British goalkeeper who in 2021 scored a 105-yard goal (96.01 meters) during a game between Newport County and Cheltenham Town in English League Two.
of the castle #OneClubOneCountypic.twitter.com/LJA2I2Bo0X
— Newport County AFC (@NewportCounty) January 19, 2021
But according to TNT broadcasting data, Requena's goal came from a distance of 110.4 yards (101 m.), which will dethrone King's effort if the Guinness Book of World Records validates it.
Si se confirma el dato de la telemetría de @TNTSportsCL, el gol de Leandro Requena recorrió 101 mts, con lo que bate el actual Récord del Mundo como gol más lejano, que hoy está en 96,01 mts, obra del arquero Tom King. A pelear el @GWR, @ClubDepCobresal!!! pic.twitter.com/uRxmZmW7M3
— Manoel de Tezanos Pinto (@ManuelDTP) March 19, 2023