IT is quite possible that no single World Cup result of the last month sop leased FIFA as Paraguay's 2-1 I home win against Peru.
Paraguay? Yes, indeed, because Paraguay means eccentric goalkeeper Jose Luis Felix Chilavert, current South American Footballer of the Year, captain of Paraguay, the number one at Argentine club side Velez Sarsfeld and the most recent expression of the time honoured tradition of showstopping, unorthodox Latin American goalkeepers.
FIFA, sports writers and Paraguayans, alike, will all be delighted if Chilavert and his country make it to the World Cup finals in France next year, guaranteeing them the presence of one of those "colourful characters" on which the tournament thrives.
And given current results, such a qualification for "minnow" Paraguay is more probable than possible. For Paraguay and Colombia currently share the lead of the awesome nine country, roundrobin Latin American group from which four countries will qualify for France 98.
Some readers may recall the remarkable "El Loco" Quiroga, Peru's goalkeeper at the 1978 and 1982 World Cups. His speciality was to come to the boil like a whistling kettle right at the most intense moment of a match and set off for the halfway line like a man possessed in a furious attempt to help out the Peruvian attack. Occasionally, he got himself so far forward as to have a shot on goal.
More recently, readers may recall Colombian goalkeeper Rene Higuita, the man with the flowing locks and a penchant to use his feet as much as his hands while keeping goal. Higuita will be forever recalled by English fans for a remarkable overhead kick cumsave from a shot by Jamie Redknapp in a friendly against England at Wembley.
Higuita, however, will be less fondly remembered for the one dribble too many against Cameroon ace Roger Milla in a second round game at the 1990 World Cup finals in Italy. Losing 1-0 in extra time of a closely fought contest, Higuita tried to dribble his way past Milla and was dispossessed, leaving the great African to score his second goal for an eventual 2-1 win.
Chilavert would probably not much appreciate being classified in the same category as the above pair. The 31 year old would argue that his contribution to his side's success relies on skill and timing, and not eccentric flights of fantasy.
Chilavert, you see, is a goalscorer. From the penalty spot or from the free kick spot, they all come alike to him. In his first class career, he has scored 32 goals with arguably the most important so far coming against Argentina in a qualifier in Buenos Aires last September, when he scored the all important equaliser with a well struck free kick. That goal earned Paraguay a vital away draw against one of the obvious group favourites and set up his country for their current good run.
"I have broken the mould. People must start to realise now, throughout the world, that goal keepers are not only supposed to save goals - we can score goals too," Chilavert said afterwards.
Original Chilavert may be, determined he certainly is. He can also be aggressive. Recently, when a journalist suggested that he had put on a little weight during the off season, Chilavert responded with a short, sharp slap to the face.
In 1994, Chilavert received a three month suspended jail sentence for hitting a ballboy during an league game in Argentina. That sentence prompted an angry response from Chilavert who alleged that the Argentinian judicial authorities had acted very promptly in his case unlike that of a certain Maradona, at the time accused of a firearms offence: "They (Argentines) hate to see a Paraguayan be so successful in their country".
Maybe they do. Odds are, however, that "they" are going to have to get used to it. This particular Paraguayan looks like he will be successful for some time yet.
