Today in sports kissing, an exhibition match between Portugal and Netherlands on Monday was interrupted by three fans who ran on to the pitch, and one decided to take the opportunity to stick a smooch on Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo.
You can find footage of the sports kiss here, beginning at around 7:44 of this video:
Let’s run some film room and break down this sports kiss. It’s hard to say for certain what the intent of the kisser may have been, whether he hoped to land upon the lips or not, but thanks to some heads-up facial maneuvering by Ronaldo, the kiss is, at most, a peck on the cheeks. Much like in basketball, when the defense is able to run a three-point shooter off the line and force them into a long two, this is about as close to a win as Ronaldo could’ve gotten while still giving up the goal.
We also have to question the game-plan of the kisser, who goes for the selfie after the kiss, playing himself right out of prime footage.
Joking aside, regardless of where you stand on pitch invaders -- anywhere between mild annoyance and mild amusement seems reasonable enough -- it seems safe to say that this fan crossed some boundaries for real human decency by forcing a kiss on Ronaldo. Interrupt the game if you really want the attention, but this... this is just uncomfortable, my guy.
Two more fans ran on to the pitch after the kisser, and one got a half-hearted hug out of Ronaldo. Big day for sports intimacy.
