Because using the top of the boot is so last year

If footballers kicking a ball with the top of their foot isn’t enough excitement for you, the last seven days has really been a treat, as a trend of using an alternative means of transport in getting ball to net has emerged. Aston Villa’s Gabriel Agbonlahor started it off last Wednesday night against Cardiff, Andrei Arshavin continued on Tuesday but the Milan-Zurich game last night saw the phenomena reach its zenith, with one of the great back-heels from former West Ham defender Hannu Tihinen (he didn’t learn that from Steve Lomas down at the Boleyn), in addition to a similar goal from Porto’s Falcao.

The Spoiler’s six favourite back-footed compliments are after the jump.

The best spot kick showboating ever seen

Knocking a dead ball into the goal from twelve yards should be the easiest thing in the world for a professional footballer, but as Jenas, Chimbonda, Yakubu and Jagielka learned last night, it’s tough under pressure. Maybe they should have tried to emulate one of these classic efforts:

Johan Cruijff gets some help

Francesco Totti backheels it

Gonzalo Pineda pulls off a cheeky chip

(more after the jump)

He won’t take guff from a tubby megastar

It is perceived that many stars of the England team have big bank accounts, even bigger egos and little desire to help their nation succeed. Fabio wouldn’t take any of this nonsense, as he has dropped and fallen out with Totti, Del Piero and Edgar Davids. His greatest moment of belittling, however, came in front of the entire Real Madrid team, as a lazy Ronaldo left the showers:

“Aren’t you ashamed of being so fat?”

The porky Brazilian trotted off to Milan the following month.