Girlfriend Gets Blame for Defeat

Spain keeper Casillas in spotlight over girlfriend role

Spanish football fans have been speculating that goalkeeper Iker Casillas may have been distracted by his TV reporter girlfriend.

Attention focused on Casillas after Spain's shock 1-0 defeat to Switzerland in their first game of the World Cup.

His girlfriend, Sara Carbonero, once voted the world's sexiest journalist, was filming behind the goalmouth before the game.

She then conducted a post-match interview with Casillas.

The wives and girlfriends of Spanish players, known as esposas y novias (wives and girlfriends), are barred from accompanying them to the tournament.

Before the World Cup, when it was announced Carbonero would be in South Africa doing her trademark post-match interviews, she dismissed claims she would be disruptive, saying: "Can I destabilise the team? I think it's nonsense."

In Wednesday's match, Swiss midfielder Gelson Fernandes bundled the ball into Spain's goal in the 52nd minute of the game.

Casillas had rushed out to tackle a Swiss forward, but failed to grab the ball, which fell luckily for Fernandes.

Later, Spanish football websites carried comments suggesting that the presence of 25-year-old Carbonero could have affected Casillas's performance.

Casillas said in the post-match interview that the players were "annoyed" at the defeat.

Carbonero, who was voted Sexiest Reporter in the World by FHM USA last year, has been dating the Real Madrid goalkeeper since 2009.

Before their opening match, Spain were rated as co-favourites to win the tournament alongside Brazil.


Comments

Unknown said…
I don´t understand that a journalist making her job (Sara Carbonero in SoutAfrica) was extrange. It would be extrage that a journalist it wouldn´t make her job.
I think that people speak about other people (Casillas, Sara Carbonero, etc...) for escape to their lifes.
Graham said…
I think that in this case, people were looking for someone to blame for Spain's defeat to the Swiss. Now that the World Cup is in Spanish hands, it's been long forgotten.

I don´t understand WHY a journalist DOING her job (Sara Carbonero in South Africa) was STRANGE. It would be STRANGE IF a journalist DIDN'T DO her job.

I think that people LIKE GOSSIP (Casillas, Sara Carbonero, etc...) TO ESCAPE FROM their OWN LIVES.


Speaking about Sara, aren't you fed up with the adverts that she is appearing in all of a sudden?