Bolivian President Evo Morales made some minor league La Paz team’s heads turn when he showed off some of his soccer skills during a charity match with Diego Maradona last month. He was so impressive that Litoral, a minor league club in Division II ball, has signed the president as a reserve player, making them the luckiest bastards in Bolivia. While other players will get mediocre bonuses, Morales will probably reveal his cache of coca for all the players to enjoy.

Litoral could potentially rise to Bolivia’s top professional league if the team manages to win a long series of qualifying tournaments this year.

The football skills of Morales, an outspoken critic of the US administration and ally of controversial Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez, helped to launch his political career.

Bolivia’s largest coca growers’ union named him its head of sports after his performances for a local coca growers’ team caught the eye of union leaders. Morales went on to become the union’s president.

Setanta needs to get this league on their twilight schedule because we don’t want to miss his first substitution, his first yellow card and the first referee to be reprimanded by a president. Oh man. Can you imagine what will happen to the first guy who tries to tackle him? No coca for you, buddy.

Morales signs for La Paz soccer team [Guardian]
Evo Morales fichó para un club [Univision]
Image [Getty]