I'm sure most of you are aware of the story about Leonidas Da Silva being the inventor of the bicycle kick. From wikipedia: Now in this video from the WC '34 Final there is footage of two Italian players doing a bicycle kick like it's no big deal: @4:46 I know the story says that Leonidas did it 2 years prior, but what is the likeliness that this move is spread in 2 years around the world and done by two players in one game? Now about the rest of the article.... that's kind of exposed then. Anyone with more information or footage? (My personal opinion of course is that it was first done by some random player we never heard of years, maybe even decades prior.)
Once I read that Ramón Unzaga Asla is touted as the inventor in Chile, or the first player to popularize the bicycle kick ("chilena"). Leonidas, before his death, few times said that it was not the creator, just popularized and getting the credits. http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramón_Unzaga
This discussion has a long data, between Chile and Peru. The older player presented by chilean is Ramon Unzaga (defender) who popularized it in an international match (i think, SA championship 1920), but the first report comes from 1918, in a inter-province XI match, which played the same player. After that, another chilean, David Arellano, made the bicycle kick in the european tour of Colo Colo at 1927. In the case of peruvians, the first documented play was made by Alejandro Villanueva, who scored in a match between Lima XI and Ica XI in the national championship of 1924. That move was called "Caracol". But, before that was also know as "Chalaca" for being made by an unknow player from Callao. http://dechalaca.com/informes/curiosidades/el-huevo-o-la-gallina
Ibero (&America) tour of Colo Colo 1927 In these matches could be the first time, europeans saw bicycle kick executing bt David Arellano. http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gira_internacional_de_Colo-Colo_en_1927
Everyone knows that Doug Ellis (former chairman of Aston Villa) invented it while working on a ship in the 1950s. That footage must have been doctored to hide the truth. Probably by Birmingham City fans.
Doug Ellis, former Aston Villa chairman, claimed that he invented the bicycle kick while playing for the Royal Navy, sometime after WWII. Obviously, given the fact it was commonplace prior to then in South America he's talking bollocks.
I remember reading an article that Leonidas did say, he was not sure himself as the 'inventor" of that bicycle kick ... but certainly he was the one who made it "worldwide" known .... The "idea" of Chalaca claimed by Peru and Chile (debatable from 1925-1935) Then came Leonedas in ACTIONS (1934?) ========================================================== However the one who PERFECTED the bicycle kick was Pele --- in real game 1960's. and in .. all heights .. all angles . all kinda challenge ... and ... all exaggeration
Many might be amazed with Rooney bicycle kicks in last few years back... but they might not realize Nobby Stiles has done that years ago back in 1966 in ManU shirt:
Here's an article reporting Bicycle Kicks by: * brazilian Leonidas in 1932 * chilean David Arellano in 1927 european tour * chilean Ramón Unzaga in 1916 Copa America * and spanish Spencer in 1915??? http://gottfriedfuchs.blogspot.com/2012/10/chilena-bicicleta.html
That's Alejandro Villanueva's cartoon. btw, in Dechalaca's article it says that unnoficially Unzaga makes the Bicycle Kick in 1914 for the first time.
I see once a webpage dating that a peruvian player made it circa 1912, but no source quoted, as the Villanueva's play in 1924. So, the peruvian roots for Bicycle Kick or Chalaca remained in Oral Tradition that a certain player from Callao, made it at the end of XIX century in a match between peruvians and foreign sailors (British and/or Chileans). And the name of that move, was known as Chalaca, due to his performer was a Chalaco (person born in Callao) and was know since the beginnings of peruvian football.