11.05.2026 20:00
A gondolier taking tourists on the Venice canal in Italy pulled off a rare iconic moment. A ball thrown by a group of children to their friend across the canal bounced off a wall and came toward the boat gliding on the water. The gondolier, with a single heel kick to the ball heading his way, prevented the children's ball from falling into the canal. This elegant move of the gondolier was captured on camera, while the smiles of the tourists traveling on the boat did not go unnoticed.
A gondolier giving tourists a ride on Venice's canal in Italy created a rare iconic moment.
THE BALL THROWN BY CHILDREN DID NOT REACH ITS TARGET
A ball thrown by a group of children playing on the canal bank toward their friend on the opposite shore bounced off the wall and headed toward the middle of the river. In those critical seconds when the ball was about to fall into the water, the gondolier advancing on his route intervened.
HE ENCHANTED TOURISTS WITH A HEEL PASS
Despite having his back turned to the ball speeding toward him, the gondolier reacted with remarkable composure, sending the ball back toward the children with a stylish heel kick. This move, rivaling professional footballers and preventing the ball from falling into the river, was captured moment by moment by nearby cameras.
''VENICE'S SAMBACISI''
The astonishment and smiles on the faces of the tourists on the gondola exploring the city at that moment did not go unnoticed. For the footage, which went viral on social media in no time, users commented, "Venice's sambacisi."