The amazing story of Ali Dia: the footballer who was not

Last update 25 February, 2021 by Alberto Llopis

The story of Ali Dia it's one of those stories that are so bizarre, absurd and ridiculous that seem like a joke and cannot have happened Do you know the story?, si la respuesta es no, Read on.

In the 90 its Google, social networks and Youtube, the world was something else

In 1996, Southampton was trained by Graeme Souness who also acted as manager, therefore it was responsible for making the signings. While in his office he received a call from a man claiming to be nothing more and nothing less than George Weah, African star of the moment.

He said he had a cousin who was a great player and he played in the selection of Senegal. The caller also told him that Ali Dia, of 30 años por aquella época, he had finished his contract with PSG and it was a bargain. Coach desperate to hire a striker agreed to sign the player contract with a one-month trial, to see the terms of this bargain with which he had found.

The African player appeared in Southampton and so happily began his training sessions with the Souness team. Obviously, There was no YouTube or Google or the Wikipedia. And of course, The Internet was in popular use nor the world as it is now.

Over, It was planned that they would play a friendly match where the coach was going to test the conditions of this supposed football phenomenon but a torrential rain prevented it from taking place so the League match against Leeds immediately arrived..

So desperate was the coach with a workout or two where it had not taken many positive conclusions about it, decided to take him summoned for a match nothing more and nothing less than the Premier League.

Ali Dia, the footballer who was not, finally he made his debut in the Premier

The player would wear in number 33 in his jerkin and start on the bench. In the minute 34 party was going to get his chance to play, seeing that diamond which spoke. The Tissier, The star of the team was injured and Souness decided to take out his new striker, it was time for Ali Dia.

This jump to the field and showed what all imaginabais since you have started reading this story, this guy had not played professional football in his life. In the most lamentable performance is remembered, He did not finish the game despite not having left soda.

I did not know put, I had no idea of ​​tactics, almost he did not know how to hit the ball decently. He did not win a ball not touched. His presence in the field would have been surpassed by any youth and his status was challenged footballer. Such was his ridiculous performance that Souness immediately took it out of the way and did not throw something at his head miraculously. By the way his team lost by two to zero against Leeds with the public Ellan Road having a laugh at the expense of the legendary Ali Dia.

The best story comes now. Souness a monumental mosqueo, decided to call George Weah to explain his cousin's talent and the references he had given him. When the Liberian picked up the phone, it must have been checkered, he had not called anyone in the club or had a cousin named Ali Dia. Let I had no idea that they were talking.

Ali Dia's plot

After the cake was discovered. The coach had stung like a linnet and had made the move thirteen fourteen. The supposed George Weah was none other than a colleague of Ali Dia, that sure is a great business, who managed to place his buddy in the Premier League without having played in your life to professional football.

It was a kind of 30 years playing as an amateur career was removed. So evident was their lack of skills that some of his teammates not knowing branded and own or run The Tissier dijo de él que “him on the lawn was like watching Bambi on ice”. Souness's face must have been a poem.

Ali Dia meanwhile, He did not appear the next training after the game saying a coup and since then until today nobody has seen him there. It is known that he continued to play in an amateur team and that he graduated from university.

Then he disappeared in battle and left is curious and even funny story, less for Souness. But for Ali Dia the thing was not so bad, played a game in the Premier League without being a footballer and thanks to the picaresque. You remove it “bailao”.