To put it mildly, Felipe Alvarez is a huge fan of deceased Colombian footballer Andres Escobar.

Escobar was the infamous defender who scored an own goal and was considered largely responsible for the heavy favorite's shock defeat to the USA in the World Cup of 1994. Escobar was shot to death in a Colombian street by a drug cartel member less then a week after the on the pitch mistake was made, the captain of the national team was expected to sign a lucrative deal with AC Milan that same summer.

There is pride, there is respect, there is even love...and then there is this guy, Felipe Alvarez.

The shirt is that of Andres Escobar, whose own goal in 1994 cost him a place in history and ultimately his life. Felipe pays homage in his own special way (or perhaps he's just fighting annual kit turnover?

There is pride, there is respect, there is even love...and then there is this guy, Felipe Alvarez.

The shirt is that of Andres Escobar, whose own goal in 1994 cost him a place in history and ultimately his life. Felipe pays homage in his own special way (or perhaps he's just fighting annual kit turnover?

When Andres Escobar was killed not long after scoring a decisive own goal against the United States in Colombia's disastrous 1994 World Cup showing, Felipe Alvarez was just 9 years old. Now 25 and a obsessive fan of Atletico Nacional -- Escobar's club team at the time of his death -- Alvarez has paid tribute to Escobar in a painful and permanent way.

A great player whose life was tragically cut short

A couple of months ago, I watched "The Two Escobars", ESPN's 30 for 30 documentary on the lives of Colombian soccer player Andres Escobar and Drug Cartel leader Pablo Escobar. It was recommend to me by a non soccer fan as one of the best documentaries he has ever seen.

Off The Ball never rests in its mission to scratch around the underbelly of professional football to find the most bizarre, humorous and inexplicable stories.

This week, Liam Gallagher is accused of stealing Eric Cantona's car door, Japan plan to beam live holographic matches around the world, a voodoo goat is blamed for Egypt's shock defeat and a fan gets a full-chest tattoo of Andres Escobar's shirt.