Carlos Valderrama shows the referee the money

On just about any other day the picture of Leandro celebrating Sao Paulo’s championship in Brazil by standing on top of the crossbar would qualify as being my favorite snapshot of the day, but the picture above beats it out. You can undoubtedly tell from the bird’s nest on top of his head that it is Carlos Valderrama. What isn’t evident at first is what he is doing in this picture. It turns out he was doing his best to get ejected from a match.

With the Tampa Bay Mutiny no longer around to pay him for his services, Valderrama is currently an assistant coach with Atletico Junior in his native Colombia. During his team’s 3-1 loss at home to America on Wednesday, he launched a unique protest against the referee.

The former midfielder was incensed after a penalty was awarded against his side shortly before halftime.
Valderrama took a bank note from his pocket — local media said it was for 50,000 Colombian pesos — and began waving it furiously at referee Oscar Ruiz.

Ruiz did not initially notice but Valderrama continued to wave the note and was eventually sent off.

However, he stayed on the touchline and approached the referee at halftime, gesticulating and shouting furiously.

Fifty thousand Colombian pesos equal approximately $25 or the cost of the suit he is wearing. Suits that compliment that hair don’t come cheap. I only wish that someone would produce a Valderrama picture of the day calendar. It would put a smile on my face at least once a day. The Valderrama statue always does.

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Category: South America, World Football