Argentina vs Chile, October 13th

And there you see Juan Román Riquelme, back on the pitch. A big fan of Riquelme's next to me, Ray Hudson, what can we expect in this match?
Pablo Alsina
Well it'll be magic from Riquelme, no matter that he's been in cobwebs for the last few month. Román Riquelme, one of the truly great poets of football ...
Ray Hudson, pre-game

It seems to be that a few of the players are slip-sliding, everybody but Riquelme.
Ray Hudson, 5:24 1st

Sizzler by Romy, unhesitant. Confidence, skill and class coming out of his ear-holes there ...
Ray Hudson, 7:11 1st

That is a gift from the gods, he always has been, I've said it for a long time, for me, I said it at the start of this game the greatest footballer in the world. I'll go to my grave defending that man. He splits his country down the middle, some people love him, some people hate him. Who couldn't love this? This is a Bernini sculpture of a goal, Pablo. It's perfection. If it had missed the target you could have hardly blamed him, but he takes all of the responsibility on his own shoulders, he guides it heavenly, it's a magisterial hit by an artist, a poet of the game. You cannot say enough, he backs it up, he hasn't played for what? Five, six months? He comes in here and he has been the best footballer on this park. Brilliant genius of Riquelme, yet again, defying his critics.
Ray Hudson, 26:40 1st

The big, beautiful, strolling zombie, I call him, Riquelme ...
Ray Hudson, 30:53 1st

Helpless, just rooted to the spot like a big ficus tree, the Chile goalkeeper ...
Ray Hudson, 33:37 1st


This is an absolute concerto goal. The first one was brilliant. We're like, living déjà vu all over again ...
Ray Hudson, 45:36 1st

Here's your first work of absolute Picasso art. Against all the odds, he takes them on, and he laughs at them.
Ray Hudson, half-time

Just like an out of body experience, you think it's done all over again, you think you've seen it before, it's like you've relived it, absolutely brilliant, the ambiguity of him is brilliant ...
Ray Hudson, half-time


Breathtaking again by Romy. Pablo, I think you'll be having to call for an oxygen tank for me, my friend, if that one had went in ...
Ray Hudson, 40:26 2nd

That man, who could have been, should have been a bullfighter, because he is a true matador footballer. The tango man.
Ray Hudson, 44:25 2nd


And finally ... the Ray Hudson 'Riquelme' count.

Pre-game

• Riquelme - 1
• Román Riquelme - 1

First half

• Riquelme - 23
• Romy - 7

Half-time

• Juan Román Riquelme - 2
• Riquelme - 6

Second Half

• Romy - 2
• Riquelme - 20
• Román - 2
• Román Riquelme - 1

Post-game

• Riquelme - 3

Grand Total - 68