It is a Spanish expression to credit a noble or heroic origin, although it is often used as irony, for people who believe themselves superior to others. The allusion to the Cid Campeador Rodrigo Ruy Díaz de Vivar seems to come from a legend where the hero kills a giant snake (or a dragon) with a kick, although in some it was with a babieca coz and in others with a blow of Tizona. In any case, the phrase "la patada del Cid" or its version "la pata del Cid" remained synonymous with bravery, the courage of his lineage.
