Bullet Header. The Salvador Cabanas story.
After a brief hiatus due to exams, I’m back, and what a way to come back with this remarkable story.
I was in my local newsagents and a bright yellow Neymar-covered issue of FourFourTwo attracted my attention. I picked the magazine up and flicked randomly. The page my finger fell on was a truly mesmeric story of Salvador Cabanas.
Cabanas is of Paraguayan origin and plied his trade in the Mexican leagues with some top clubs including perenial powerhouse Club America. He earned this move through a prolific spell with Jaguares de Chipas, a club dwelling deep in the Mexican Apertura, finishing 18th. Cabanas, a big bustling striker, remains their top scorer since the club’s inception in 2002. He ripped the net 59 times for Jaguares in 103 appearances, well over a goal every two games.
His form continued when he joined Club America, notching up 66 goals in 115 games, maintaining his goal every two games tally. On (the )25th January 2010, whilst out at a bar, cleverly called ‘Bar Bar’, Cabanas was shot in the head. Cabanas did not die. He was rushed to hospital in Mexico City, and it was decided the bullet was not to be extracted from his skull. He was said to be shot by drug lord José Balderas Garza (pseudonym JJ).
Amazingly in Feburary the same year Cabanas left intensive care, immediately aiming to book his place in South Africa with eventual quarter-finalists Paraguay. However Cabanas was not selected and didn’t play for another two years before signing for Mexican third divison outfit 12 de Octubre, where his career began.
Now with just one apperance of 40 minutes for his new club, a bullet header could kill the prolific Paraguayan. No one was willing to take a gamble on Cabanas, but this really is a good thing to happen to football amist the controversy and tragic deaths.
A truly remarkable story.
Luke Lonergan 
sound like a bit of a head banger to me.