Felipe Perrone delivered a spectacular tying goal against Hungary, securing Spain's advancement to the quarterfinals of the World Championship in Singapore. The 39-year-old veteran showcased his remarkable intuition when he caught a pass from teammate Marc Larumbe and fired it past Hungarian goalkeeper Kristof Csoma to make it 9-9 in the final quarter.
"What a comeback! I don't even know how we did it! It was a moment when everything connected. Suddenly we all started defending like possessed and attacking with a speed that's only possible with total team connection and flow," Perrone explained after the match.
This World Championship marks Perrone's 13th appearance in the competition – a record he extended after breaking it last year in Doha when he surpassed Chilean swimmer Kristel Köbrich's tally. The Brazilian-born Spanish captain has announced this will be his final World Championship appearance, making each moment particularly meaningful.
"I have a stronger feeling than in my previous 12 World Championships," he admitted. "I'm experiencing it with brutal intensity, but at the same time trying not to think too much because I would get too emotional."
Interestingly, Perrone's water polo journey began back in 2001 at the Fukuoka World Championship when he was just 15 years old, playing for Brazil. His roommate at this tournament, Álvaro Granados, was only one year old when Perrone made his World Championship debut.
Beyond his playing career, Perrone has also influenced the sport as a member of World Aquatics' sports commission. He helped implement significant rule changes for this tournament, including reducing the playing field from 30 to 25 meters and shortening possession time from 30 to 25 seconds.
"The matches are more intense," he noted. "The speed is greater. You can't get distracted for even a second. I like it because besides accelerating the game and making it more entertaining to watch, reducing the pool size makes water polo easier to practice at a high level for everyone. It helps the sport expand."
Spain now faces Greece in the semifinals, with Perrone hoping to extend his final championship run to Thursday's final. Will the veteran captain lead his team to gold in his farewell tournament?
