The act of refusing to step on a club’s crest has becomean often-used practice by many players in modern-day soccer.We see more and more oftenplayers who would tiptoe around a carpet or ablock of grasswith their or the opponent’s emblemized logo.
The latest example was whenManchester City hosted Atletico Madrid at the Etihad Stadium this Tuesday, April 5, in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Finals.The day before,theColchoneros had a training sessionas players were filmed exiting the locker room and entering the field.
South American trio Luis Suarez, Angel Correa, and Rodrigo de Paul were all making their way onto the pitch whentheUruguayanpromptly prevented his two teammates from stepping on themosaicof Man City’s emblemand forced them to go around it after seeing they were ready to do so.
Other players to skip walking over team’s emblem
This,however, has notbeen the only case, as both Real Madrid’sViniciusand Dani Alvesof Barcelona have both avoided walking on their clubs’ crests in recent weeks.In an effort to avoid trotting all overthe Whites’emblem while pursuing a ball that had gone out of the pitch, the Brazilian jumped over it. He made a point of performing a large hop to avoid stepping on theiremblem rather than walking on it.
In addition, veteran Alves was stopped from givinghis youngerteammatesa lesson in club etiquette as well. In January, during a pre-match warm-up, the 38-year-oldtook special care as he exited the field to avoid stepping on the club emblem that adorned the side of the field. Taking note of this, Nico Gonzalez, 20, rerouted his path to go past the symbol, which he had previously ignored.
Even last April, when Cityhosted Borussia Dortmund,Erling Haalandwas the only Dortmund player to avoid trampling on a mosaic of the Sky Blues’ logo on the floor by deliberately turning to his right and not his left. Exactly the same thing happened the day before. The first thing he said upon approaching the grass in training was, “Beautiful, right?”
Why players don’t wantto step on club’s crest
In contemporary soccer, making sure not to step on a team’s emblemhas evolved into a courteous gesture. Players have begun doing this mostly as a sign of respect towards their or another soccer club.Although it’s not illegal to walk on the team’s emblem, and in the event that someone does so, this is not a statement of disregard or mockery.
For example, whileLuis Suarez once again tried to dodge City’s crestjust before kick-off, Antoine Griezmann did not follow in his colleague’sfootsteps. The France international strutted out onto the field with a hilarious stroll, as comfortable as usual.
Overall, it all comes down to each player’s own perspectiveon whether or not to step up and over an outcropping of grass.For some, it’s just a mosaic, while for others, it’sa treasure. Just like Vinicius had said, “You kissMadrid’s badge, you don’t step on it”.