The history of Ricardo Quaresma and the trivela
By Devin Nguyen
The Lucky Trivela: Catania vs Inter Milan (September 13, 2008)
In an attempt to make the move to a bigger European team for the second time, Quaresma joined Inter Milan in 2008. Signed by José Mourinho, Quaresma saw little action as, like Rijkaard, Mourinho tried to change Quaresma into a tactically disciplined player.
In October of that season when asked about Quaresma, Mourinho answered, “Quaresma? He likes kicking the ball with the outside of his foot, but if you ask me about him in a few months’ time we’ll be talking about a different Quaresma.”
The goal just a month before Mourinho’s remarks about Quaresma was extremely lucky. What was supposed to be a trivela cross, deflected off the Catania defender and straight into the net and probably is an own-goal.
His teammate Maicon looked on with joy celebrating more than Quaresma, while Mourinho looked annoyed, as if he would have preferred that goal not go in, and insisted his team return to their half and quickly as possible.
Clearly, his worst trivela.
Quaresma would not succeed at Inter Milan, probably because he couldn’t fit in the restraints of a Mourinho system. Mourinho wanted Quaresma to edit the trivelas out of his game but should have known that was going to be impossible.