by Nia Griffiths
After Alexis Sanchez complained about being kicked about in Chile’s win over Uruguay, it’s been said that he should learn to just take it.
Physicality is part of football. It’s a contact sport, after all. However, some players overstep the mark. It’s one thing making strong challenges, it’s another to set out to hurt a fellow footballer.
Alexis believes the latter was true in his match for Chile on Wednesday and voiced his opinions after the match saying, “They like to fight, argue, go forward all out; one player told me in the first half ‘Move you wimp’ but then later he said to me: ‘I am sorry.’ He said me, ‘That’ll do, I kicked the s*** out of you’. And I said, ‘Alright but you could have caused an injury and that’s not what football’s about.'”
In retaliation, ex-Uruguayan forward Javier Chevanton tweeted,
Que queres alexis sanchez sos un lloron dejate de hacerte El nombre si sos un lloron bastante maricon sos,hoy jugastes contra hombres,lloron
— javier Chevanton (@JChevanton) June 25, 2015
According to the Telegraph, this means, “What do you want Alexis Sanchez you’re a cry-baby. Stop trying to be a man because you’re a cry-baby. Today you played against men.” Except, as we already discussed, that’s not exactly what it means.
This once again raises the question of how physical is too physical? You would’ve thought the answer was simple for a bunch of professionals who’ve been playing the game since they learnt how to walk. However, apparently it is not. The idea that a footballer could potentially injure another player and the injured party be told to suck it up seems a little off the mark.
It’s very possible that Chevanton was still smarting after the controversial loss where his former national team were reduced to nine men due to some terrible refereeing decisions.