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At some point in your childhood, I’m sure you’ve picked up and got hooked onto a fabulous Tintin comic as well as the hilariously brilliant phrases used by the legendary Captain Haddock.
The enigmatic captain has quite literally used every word in the book to vent his frustration, ranging from “Blistering Barnacles” and its numerous variations to the unforgettable “Thundering Typhoons”, which has embedded itself in many a memory. In a way Tintin author, Herge inadvertently introduced the first form of ranting through the Captain.
Just imagine what it would be like if we could rant about football in a similar way Haddock rants about life. Maybe terms like – “By the legs of Ronaldo” or “By the head of Rooney” could be used to express shock and disbelief by football fans, but while these phrases are debatable, one phrase that each and every football fan worth his salt will certainly identify with is – “By the eyebrows of Ancelotti!”
A ridiculous trophy haul consisting of- Three Champions League titles, a total of three titles across various leagues, two FIFA Club World Cups, and various managerial awards has raised the eyebrows of numerous individuals in the football world, including those of the man himself!
So, how did Carlo Ancelotti get his famed eyebrow? Is it the aftermath of a small Vespa accident? Did he get it signed, courtesy of Italy’s famous espresso coffee? Was it the result of a shaving accident while Carlo was impersonating Spock at a Halloween party? Or was it something else?
In truth, the origin of Carlo Ancelotti’s eyebrow will always remain a mystery, but then again do we know what the fourth passage of the famous Kryptos sculpture means?; the contents of the milky way, or proof of the existence of extraterrestrials?
No, we don’t! These will always remain some of earth’s most beautiful mysteries, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be spellbound by them, and the same can be said about Carlo Ancelotti’s eyebrow. Who cares how he got it? It’ll continue to delight football fans, including those of the Italian’s former club – Real Madrid, for years to come.
The 56-year-old’s eyebrows aren’t just his distinctive feature but are also a means to express his feeling, ranging from shock, disbelief, to sheer excitement.
Carlo Ancelotti’s eyebrow-raising career in football began in 1974 as a midfielder for Italian outfit, Parma. Ancelotti, who earned the nickname Carletto, remained with Parma for four years before transferring to Italian giants Roma, for whom he made 171 appearances – his highest for any of the clubs he has represented in his professional career, and helped them left one Serie A title, four Copa Italia’s as well as helping them reach the finals of the 1984 European Cup, which they lost to Joe Fagan’s Liverpool.
However, it was with AC Milan where he experienced some of the finest hours of his football career-lifting two European Cups, two Serie A titles, one Italian Super Cup, two Intercontinental Cups and one UEFA Supercup, in a glittering career.
Ancelotti also represented his country 29 times, including two World Cups, and scored his only goal for his country on January 6, 1981, against the Netherlands.
Despite being born in a generation full of talented midfielders like Michael Laudrup, Marco Van Basten, Frank Rijkaard, Ruud Gullit, etc, Ancelotti was widely regarded as one of the best midfielders of his generation, with his technical ability and reading of the game proving to be a major asset.
As a manager Ancelotti, who began his coaching career with Reggiana, tasted his first success with Juventus, with whom he lifted the UEFA Intertoto Cup in his first season, and led them to a second-place finish in the Serie A in his sophomore season, before being sacked in 2001.
The Italian was appointed as head coach of his former club, AC Milan on November 6th, 2001, where he created history by winning two Champions Leagues, one Serie A title, one FIFA Club World Cup and one Coppa Italia, among other trophies – in a glittering eight-year spell.
Ancelotti also went on to pick up numerous awards for his coaching abilities during his time at Milan, including- two Serie A Coach of the Year awards, one UEFA Manager of the Year award, one IFFHS World’s Best Club Coach award, and was even inducted into the AC Milan Hall of Fame.
Ancelotti left his post at Milan on May 31, 2009 to take over the reins of Premier League club Chelsea from interim manager Guus Hiddink, and helped the Blues continue their most successful spell in years, in the form of the Premier League title, FA Cup and Community Shield – all in his debut season. However, poor results and the loss of the Premier League title to Manchester United caused Ancelotti to get the sack.
Two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain followed where he won the Ligue 1 in his second season, before leaving his post to manage Real Madrid.
The Italian’s spell at Real Madrid was nothing short of phenomenal, with the club lifting its fabled La Decima, as well as the UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and the Copa Del Ray – all in his debut season, before controversially receiving the sack this year due to lacklustre results.
Ancelotti was very recently linked with the vacant Liverpool manager’s position but decided to go on a one-year sabbatical in order to go under the knife for his spinal stenosis, with the Liverpool job eventually going to Jurgen Klopp. Needless to say, he’ll be in red hot demand come 2016, but for now we can only speculate where Carlo Ancelotti and his eyebrow will be seen next.
Ancelotti will also cameo in the new Star Trek movie, which is out next July, where his eyebrows will receive some strong competition from one Mr. Spock.
The Italian’s return to the touchline is eagerly awaited, and will most likely be at the helm of a Premier League club next year, with Ancelotti publically stating that England is his preferred destination. One can only hope that 2016 arrives soon, as Premier League press conferences will never be the same, with the inclusion of Ancelotti and his famous brow.
