How many footballers have captured the imagination of fans quite like Faustino Asprilla?
Arriving at Newcastle in a fur coat following a £6.7 million move from Parma, Asprilla was an immediate favourite in the northeast, and that popularity carried over to other fanbases in Premier League betting.
Like most cult heroes, Asprilla’s career goes far beyond the raw numbers. He scored 18 goals in over 60 appearances for Newcastle.
Instead, cult heroes are about memories, about moments of brilliance. Asprilla, of course, produced such when he scored a hat-trick in Newcastle’s 3-2 win over Barcelona.
Away from starring in Champions League betting against a superpower like Barca, Asprilla was an entertainer, both with smart finishes and his acrobatic, trademark celebration.
There were poacher’s goals and screamers, mixed in with mesmeric skill and sublime first touches.
A player and personality befitting of the Kevin Keegan era, Asprilla was symbolic of a Newcastle team which neutrals loved, and the Geordie faithful will forever adore.
They might not have topped Premier League predictions, but they will be remembered as fondly as any English team over the last few decades. Their legacy is about more than the league table, and Asprilla was a key part of that.
Of course, Asprilla’s cult hero reputation was not just built during his St James’ Park stint.
🎁🎂 Faustino Asprilla 🎂🎁
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) November 10, 2021
In 1997 @TinoasprillaH hit a hat-trick as Newcastle United beat Barcelona 3-2 on an unforgettable night at St James' Park ⚽️⚽️⚽️@NUFC | #HBD | #UCL pic.twitter.com/fgTR2W023Q
He famously refused to run during training while at Parma, saying ‘I’m not Forrest Gump’, and had various off-field incidents, including being bailed out by the club after shooting a revolver in the air as part of some unusual New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Asprilla’s teammates have always spoken highly of him, dismissing any notion that his arrival impacted their title push. Robbie Elliott called the Colombian the ‘life and soul of the team’, and Warren Barton said he ‘was a joy to be around’.
A fun-first attitude is what Asprilla’s teammates most commonly mention.
He was enjoying himself on and off the pitch, and while that might have made him a tricky player to manage at times, it clearly endeared him to colleagues and fans alike.
From a quick impact on his debut to the hat-trick at Barcelona, Asprilla had a knack for the dramatic.
Alan Shearer, Asprilla’s teammate and one of the best Premier League strikers ever, spoke on the Match of the Day podcast about what he was like to play alongside.
"He was brilliant for the dressing room because he was a character. He loved a laugh and a joke and he could do no wrong in the dressing room really because he didn't speak a lot of English."
Asprilla scored just nine Premier League goals in almost 50 appearances. It speaks volumes about his talent and character that he has such a place in the memories of football fans even outside of Newcastle.
That night under the lights against Barcelona will never be forgotten, yet Asprilla was more than a one-hit wonder during his brief stay on Tyneside.
Only a few can blend such spectacular natural talent with a relaxed, jovial attitude. Asprilla was one of those, and it secured him a place among the Premier League’s greatest cult heroes.
