Going Loco

Amongst the other internationals, one fixture stands out in the footballing world this Saturday. Just after nine in the evening local time, Argentina host Brazil in a match Diego Maradona's home side can't afford to lose if they're to avoid - at the very least - giving fans palpitations over their qualification prospects.

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Martin Palermo and Argentina coach Diego Maradona

In a high pressure game, Maradona has already forced one huge decision through: the match will be played in Rosario Central's Gigante del Arroyito, the cauldron that was the scene of Argentina's infamous 6-0 win over Peru in the 1978 World Cup. The venue was switched after Maradona's vocal disgust at the state of the pitch for the qualifier against Colombia a couple of months. A rock concert was held just days before the game at River Plate's Estadio Monumental, the regular home of the national side.

Monday, however, saw a decision that knocked everyone for six. When Maradona announced the squad to take on Brazil nearly two weeks ago, he said that closer to the match he'd add two or three players from the Argentine league (several domestic players were in the initial 23), and a few educated guesses followed: if he fancied another striker, for instance, he'd surely go for Lanús's Eduardo Salvio, or San Lorenzo's Gonzalo Bergessio.

But Maradona blindsided everyone. He called up Newell's Old Boys defender Rolando Schiavi, Estudiantes midfielder Rodrigo Braña (both recent Copa Libertadores winners - Schiavi was loaned to Estudiantes for the two-legged final as emergency cover after injuries decimated their backline) ... and Boca Juniors striker Martin Palermo.

'Martin Palermo,' you may be thinking, 'didn't he play for Argentina a few years ago?' Well, yes he did. A decade ago, to be precise, when he was only 25 years old. He travelled to the 1999 Copa América with his country and scored three goals, but will always be remembered by fans around the world for an unwanted record: he missed three penalties in a single match against Colombia.

So why, ten years on, is Palermo being given a second chance by Argentina at long last? Even the man himself couldn't believe it - Maradona called him on Monday and told him to be ready to train with the squad at four the next afternoon. "I've still not come down," he told national sports daily Olé hours later.

Having come through the ranks at Estudiantes, where he scored 34 goals in 90 Primera División matches, Palermo moved to Boca Juniors, the club he's now synonymous with. After getting those Argentina call-ups due to his domestic form and missing those penalties against Colombia, he won a Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup (Boca beat Real Madrid in Tokyo) in 2000.

At the end of that year he moved to Spain's Villarreal, but played poorly. To make matters worse, he broke a leg celebrating a rare goal with fans when a low concrete barrier he was standing on collapsed. He was moved on to Real Betis in August 2003, but played little and scored only one goal, moving to Deportivo Alavés (then in the second tier of Spanish football) before returning to Boca the following year.

Comfortable again back at home, he's been on fire ever since. In spite of his fair share of injuries, Palermo is fourteen goals away from drawing level with the 221 official goals scored for Boca by Roberto Cherro, a striker of the 1920s and '30s who is the club's all-time highest goalscorer.

Those goals have been not just many, but varied too: diving headers at the feet of defenders against whom most strikers would be afraid to even put their foot in, set pieces (yes, even the odd penalty), deft volleys and instinctive poacher's goals. In a 2006 clásico against Independiente, he scored from inside his own half with a wonderful first-time shot on the turn.

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Martin Palermo celebrates one of his 207 goals for Boca Juniors

In short, Martín Palermo is not a striker who does his job in a dull manner, and this comes across in celebrations too: as well as that broken leg during his time in Spain, the man known in Argentina as El Loco ('the madman') once celebrated a goal against Boca's most hated rivals, River Plate, by throwing himself head-first into an advertising hoarding (the ad came off worse).

There are some superficial similarities with Maradona's opposite number Dunga, who's included former Inter striker Adriano, now back in Rio with Flamengo, in Brazil's squad. Having scored ten goals in 16 games so far this season, he'd have been silly not to. Argentines are more divided over Palermo though.

In spite of light-hearted media calls for Palermo's inclusion with every goal he scores for Boca, no-one seriously thought Maradona would call his friend up, and when the announcement was made almost 100,000 votes were returned to a poll on Olé's website which made clear the polarity of opinion. Those saying Palermo shouldn't have been called up just outnumbered those who think he should start at the weekend. 'Put him on the bench', the other option, came a distant third.

It capped an interesting few days for Palermo. Last Friday a few Boca fans turned up at a training session to protest at his supposed desire to play on loan for Estudiantes in December's World Club Cup. Many players might have run scared, especially in Argentina where the barra brava (football hooligan) reigns supreme. But not El Loco. He detached himself from his team-mates, jogged over to the fans and, after being threatened, he let rip: 'You're saying that to me, after I've spent ten years of my career here?! Tell me who's sent you...'

Who's sent you, indeed. Well, now Palermo has been called upon by God (or at least, Maradona) himself. Replacing the injured Diego Milito in the squad, he might come off the bench. He definitely won't start on Saturday (Tevez and Messi will be the front two), but for most of the week their old new centre forward is all Argentines have been talking about.