If you believe in soccer, you have to believe in miracles. And a 31-year-old goalkeeper in Brazil nicknamed Danilo just performed the greatest of miracles against a team that has none other than the Pope as its most avid fan.
Odds are, unless you are an avid spectator of the Brazilian League you have never seen or heard of Danilo. Let us provide a brief introduction.
Marcos Danilo Padilha, most commonly known as Danilo, is a 31-year-old keeper, who, like most Brazilian players, bounced around between lower league clubs for years before solidifying himself between the posts of a higher division club. This club is Chapecoense, founded in 1973, that has yet to win a title more glamorous than a state championship.
Marcos Danilo Padilha (Photo: aguantecomunicacao.com.br)
You see where we’re going with this, right?
Well, Chapecoense now finds itself in the middle of the greatest run of its young history, and they have a shot at winning a continental title for the first time thanks to Danilo.
Wednesday night, the young Brazilian club played host to one of the giants of the South American continent as San Lorenzo visited Chapeco to play the second leg of the Copa Sudamericana semifinal.
San Lorenzo is widely known for having a holy fan cheering for them, as Pope Francis is such a fervent devotee that he is even a club member. In 2014, San Lorenzo even visited the Pope at the Vatican.
The Pope is a known San Lorenzo fan (Photo: Twitter)
One would think the miracles should work in favor of the Pope’s team right? Guess again.
All San Lorenzo needed was one goal, and they’d be headed for the Copa Sudamericana final. The chance they needed came late on injury time, on a dangerous foul on the right flank.
And that’s when the miracle happened:
É DE ARREPIAR! Se liga no último lance do jogo da @ChapecoenseReal! Jogo histórico! Parabéns, Chapeterror! #VamosChape pic.twitter.com/BhXbs59k7C
— FOX Sports Brasil (@FoxSports_br) November 24, 2016
Danilo saved the day and gifted Chapecoense with a chance to win the biggest title of their history, proving that even the Pope’s team is not immune to other’s miracles.
The18 Recommends For You
