VICE Sports Premier League Player of the Weekend: Artur Boruc

This article originally appeared on VICE Sports UK.

At first, Harry Kane was going to be our Player Of The Weekend, but after taking a step back, it's clear that Artur Boruc was the real hero. Sure, there was a Kane hat-trick to sink our teeth into, and an overdue return to form for England's bright new hope, but none of that would even have happened if it weren't for Boruc's selfless acts of charity from his goal. His many generous, plentiful donations to the Harry Kane confidence fund are what have put him head and shoulders above the rest this weekend, and he deserves acknowledgment for his acts.

Now, you're probably thinking that Boruc didn't mean to set up four of Tottenham's five goals against Bournemouth on Sunday afternoon, but you'd be wrong. It's the only explanation. Knowing how keen Spurs would've been to bounce back from their midweek Europa League defeat in Belgium, Boruc did what all great men do: he put the needs of someone else ahead of his own by allowing the away side an easy day at the office, selflessly sacrificing three vital points for the Cherries, and all in the name of sportsmanship and charity.

Having seen his side go a goal up after their first meaningful attack early on, Boruc sprang into action almost immediately, dragging Kane down in the box with an inch perfect ankle-tap to give Spurs a way back in to the game from the spot. The sort of challenge usually reserved for testimonial matches, where it's common courtesy to gift the long serving player a crack at goal, Boruc ignored convention and proceeded regardless. Not to give the game away to the home fans, the goalie even had a brief set-to with the referee, fully embracing the role. Diving out of the way of Kane's strike, Spurs were back on terms, but he hadn't quite finished for the afternoon. In fact, he was just getting started.

Tottenham's second, perhaps more a team effort from Bournemouth as a whole, saw a strike from distance ricochet briefly around the box before falling kindly to the feet of a completely unmarked Mousa Dembélé, who had enough time to take a steadying touch before side footing home into the bottom corner. Boruc, his task made much easier this time around, did little to stop the effort: his dive was harmlessly late, yet convincingly theatrical. Soon after for the third, Boruc redeemed himself, propelling a harmless cross on to the nearby toe of Érik Lamela, doing little more than lifting a leg to block the goalward strike he'd so ably assisted.

Having had a hand (or lack thereof) in turning a one goal lead into a two goal deficit in the space of 45 minutes, most people would've stopped throwing the game, but Boruc, never one to shirk responsibility, continued valiantly. Christian Eriksen speculatively crossed the ball into the box from deep early in the second period and, rather than rushing the attacker or challenging for the ball, Boruc dived comically wide of his own goal, leaving the majority open for Kane to touch into. Perhaps giving the game away a little on this occasion, Boruc acted like a dad having a kickabout with an infant in the back garden, giving the impression of complete effort, safe in the knowledge he was gifting victory.

By the time goal number five came Boruc was completely in his groove, intent on making sure that Kane could complete his much-needed hat-trick. Having shown his hand slightly by making a great save from a strong headed effort from a corner, Boruc quickly flung the ball back out to the feet of Kane, allowing the Tottenham man maximum pleasure and confidence from his afternoon's work. Having come under pressure after failing to immediately recapture last season's fine form, questions arose about whether or not Kane was a one season wonder. Boruc, unable to live with himself if another young English player became a wasted talent and victim of the hype machine, intervened in the most spectacular of fashions.

When he left the field on 85 minutes, Kane was greeted by cheers from the away support, polite applause from the home crowd and a beaming smile from his manager. Were it not for Artur Boruc, none of that would've been possible. Predictably named Man Of The Match, in the future this could be a game that Real Madrid and England captain Harry Kane looks back on as a major turning point in his career. We can only hope that, should he know what we do, Kane will always hold the heroics of Artur Boruc close to his heart.

And so, for services to charity, selflessness and sportsmanship, the VICE Sports Player of the Weekend is Bournemouth goalkeeper Artur Boruc -- a true hero amongst men.

@bainsxiii