Everything started as a tribute from a father. Otilino Tenorio went to a theme park with his son Jordy. Between roller coasters and carnival games, a Spider-Man mask caught the child’s eye. It was his favourite superhero. Jordy was fascinated by Spider-Man’s jumping abilities, and how he was brave and honest at the same time. He liked how he swung from one building to another and joked around.
Jordy’s dad bought it for him. That’s how the story of Otilino Tenorio began, the Spider-Man of goalscoring. The Ecuadorian was an immensely powerful striker with an uncanny eye for goal. He earned his professional debut at Emelec in his homeland, where he was the top scorer in the 2001 Copa Merconorte. In 2003, he left for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, but quickly returned to his home country, joining El Nacional, where he also became a goal machine.
Whenever Tenorio scored, he would pull out a mask, which he hid under his shirt or socks, and hold it up to his face. It was almost always Spider-Man. Every so often, it was a typical ‘Lucha Libre’ wrestler. His celebration was an Ecuadorian football hallmark.
In May 2005, he suffered a fatal car accident shortly after scoring a hat-trick for El Nacional in a 5-2 win over Emelec. In that game, he had ditched the mask, picked up a plush heart and, as he approached the cameras, shouted, ‘With love!’
Following Tenorio’s tragic death, Ecuador’s coach Luis Fernando Suarez said: “I think of the man, not the footballer. I remember Otilino’s smile, his joy, how he always tried to bring joy and happiness to the group. I think about his gift with people.”
Just over a year later, Ecuador were in action at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™. Having beaten Poland in their opener, they were 2-0 up heading into the final moments of the their second game against Costa Rica in Hamburg. It was then that Ivan Kaviedes seized on a cross from Edison Mendez and expertly converted a first-time finish.
Kaviedes, just like Tenorio, then pulled a Spider-Man mask out of his shorts, put it on and ran to the corner to celebrate. It had the yellow, blue and red of Ecuador. All his team-mates rushed to hug him.
Former Emelec player Kaviedes explained after the match: “[Tenorio] watches over us from heaven and brings us joy. He was the one who kept the group happy.”
Ecuador went on to qualify for the knockout phase for the first time. They fell to England in the Round of 16, but no-one would forget the team’s historic achievement, and even less so, Kaviedes’ goal celebration. The striker did not forget his former team-mate, his true superhero.
