Tottenham cult icon Mohamed Alí Amar ‘Nayim’ has admitted he still fondly remembers his goal against Arsenal, which is now 30 years old.
Mundo Deportivo have an interview with the former midfielder today as he recalls his famous goal on May 10th, 1995.
Everyone easily remembers the moment he launched that ball into the Parisian sky from the near the middle of the pitch and how it flew into David Seaman’s net, handing Real Zaragoza the Europa Cup Winners Cup against Arsenal at the Parc des Princes.
It’s an unforgettable moment, going down in history and turning an extraordinary team into a legendary one at Arsenal’s expense.
The fact that he had previously played for Tottenham, Arsenal’s fierce rivals, only added to the enjoyment for Spurs fans.
The line ‘Nayim from the hallway line’ is now among the immortal footballing lines, and the man himself admits he still can’t escape it 30 years later.
“If your phone doesn’t remember it, your friends remind you, or many people do,” he said.
“There are many fans who stop me on the street and thank me. They tell me their anecdotes, how and where they experienced it, what they were doing at the time…
“An instant changes your life. For me, it changed my life, both professionally and personally. It was a moment that will be etched in the minds of many fans, especially Zaragoza fans and especially those who were able to accompany us in person there in Paris.
“But also, in the world of football in general, because many goals like that have been scored, but in a final, in the last second of extra time, when the opposing team didn’t even have time to take a snap… At that moment, Real Zaragoza was everyone’s team.”
Despite his most famous moment, his greatest moment, coming after he had left Tottenham, their fans still sing about it when the opportunity arises.
That’s a gentle prod at their fierce London rivals but also remembrance of a player who very much established himself as a cult icon during his time at the club.
The midfielder was actually the first Spaniard to play in England, something he admits he wasn’t aware of at the time.
“Coincidentally, the song was precisely about that goal I scored for Zaragoza in the Cup Winners’ Cup final, although I played for Tottenham before I got that goal,” he added.
“Terry Venables was at Barça, then signed for Tottenham. Cruyff didn’t count on me at the time… and I didn’t even think about it. Because in the end, what a player has to do is play, not sit on the bench for most of his career. I was lucky enough to play in a league and a country that lives football with such passion.”
