Benoit Cheyrou’s skills easy to spot on and off the field for Toronto FC
CHAMPIONSGATE, United States — Think of a European player at Toronto FC. Now think of swerving free kicks, long-range rockets and deft touches that leave defenders gasping for air before the goalkeeper picks the ball out of the net.
Sebastian Giovinco, right?
Try veteran French midfielder Benoit Cheyrou, whose gilt-edged resume sometimes gets forgotten on this side of the Atlantic. For anyone needing a reminder, check out his montage of Olympique Marseille goals on YouTube.
There is the beauty against Bordeaux when Cheyrou chests down a ball at the edge of the six-yard box, angles his body back to make room and then lashes the ball home with a left foot as he falls to the ground. He goes one better against Paris Saint-Germain, taking a header just inside the penalty box, using his left foot to nutmeg a defender before beating the goalkeeper with his right.