What is "scorpion kick"

n. (context soccer English) A rare type of kick in association football where the player dives headlong so his body flies parallel to the ground in a prone position and quickly extends his hips and flexes his knees backwards, so they resemble a scorpion's upright tail, to kick a football passing towards his heels, returning it in the direction it came.

The scorpion kick, also known as a reverse bicycle kick, is a physical move in association football. It is achieved by throwing the body forwards, placing the hands in the ground to lunge the back heels in front so as to kick an incoming football. Sports historian Andreas Campomar praises the maneuver as remarkable, noting that it "demonstrated that the spectacle had not died: that the game, in spite of its many flaws, could provide moments of glory that had little to do with just victory or defeat."

Colombian goalkeeper René Higuita is attributed with the invention of this advanced football skill. One of his best known performances of the maneuver occurred at Wembley Stadium during a 1995 international friendly match between the Colombia national football team and the England national football team.