Jose Alvarado couldn't get enough of Ghana player's 'Grand Theft Alvarado' attempt at stealing the ball at FIFA World Cup

Jose Alvarado, the New Orleans Pelicans guard, has been glued to the World Cup like many sports fans. The tournament takes place every four years and has been underway in Qatar this week. Although there has been plenty of controversy, the football has been thrilling to watch. From upsets by major underdogs to lopsided victories by the favorites, the 2022 FIFA World Cup has delivered.

This week, Alvarado noticed something interesting while watching Ghana play. Late in play, with the match on the line, Ghana's Inaki Williams realized that Portuguese keeper Diogo Costa was unaware that he was waiting in the wings behind him. As the Portuguese team watched in horror, realizing what was happening, Costa tried to advance the ball.

As he did, Williams sprung into action and stole it before tripping and turning it over, much to the dismay of the Ghana fans in attendance. Regardless of how things wound up playing out, Alvarado couldn't help but notice that Williams had employed his "Grand Theft Alvarado" technique and reacted on Twitter in real time.

Below you can see the clip for yourself.

Jose Alvarado: reinventing the full-court press

New Orleans Pelicans v Charlotte Hornets

After declaring for the 2021 draft, Alvarado went undrafted out of Georgia Tech. Shortly after, he signed a two-way contract with the New Orleans Pelicans' G League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron. In five games, Alvarado averaged a whopping 3.4 steals per game.

His contributions didn't stop at the defensive end of the floor, however, Alvarado also averaged 19.8 points per game while dishing out 6.8 assists per game. After a dominant five-game run with the Squadron, he was called up by the Pelicans in December. As the season progressed, the team wound up signing Alvarado to a four-year, $6.5 million deal that allowed him to be eligible come playoff time.

When the team matched up against the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs, Alvarado put his "Grand Theft Alvarado" defense on display. With that, of course, came some conflict between he and the "Point god," the Suns' Chris Paul. The two men went back and forth at one another over the course of the series, with Alvarado clearly getting under the skin of the NBA vet.

After a bucket, Alvarado can frequently be found hiding in the corner away from a suspecting inbounder. As the point guard then pushes the ball up the court, Alvarado emerges from behind and picks their pocket. The move has proven to be efficient, with Alvarado averaging 1.2 spg come playoff time in just 19.5 minutes played per game.

This season, he and the Pelicans have been one of the most highly touted contenders in the Western Conference. With Zion Williamson back healthy, the Pels (11-7) has one of the best records in the West. Right now, the team is tied for second place with the Denver Nuggets.

Below you can watch some of Alvarado's highlights.