What do you think is the greatest goal ever scored (that you've seen)? Here are a few contenders from my point of view... International: Maradona vs England '86 Carlos Alberto vs Italy '70 Owen vs Argentina '98 Bergkamp vs Argentina '98 Club: Beckham (from the halfway line) vs Wimbledon '95 Quinn vs Newcastle '99 A note on the last one. Most other people wouldn't think of this as an all time great, but it's my favourite goal ever. One, it was against the Mags. Two, it gave us the lead. Three, it was so brilliant I'll have to describe it for you. Michael Gray (Sunderland left back) gets the ball from the keeper at the left edge of his own area. He lays it inside to Alex Rae, and starts on a run upfield. Rae holds the ball for a second or so, before striking a low ball upfield to Julio Arca. In a brilliant piece of skill, Arca steps over the ball, leaving it to run upfield into the path of Gray who has continued his run. Gray strikes a superb first-time cross onto the head of Niall Quinn (12 yards out), who loops a bullet header into the top corner. I'll leave you to guess my reaction to this! (Also, if you are describing a goal others may not have seen, please describe it as I have done.)
if you'd like to see a video of the goal, you can download it at www.stand-up.fsnet.co.uk. Just the header part anyway!
The best goal I'd ever seen was back in 92 or 93 (I think) when I just started to follow international soccer. It was Marseille vs PSG, I think in Marseille. Basielle Boelle (sp?) rec'd a cross right outside the 18 some how his back was to the goal and he did a diving header with his body wraped around the defender in front of him. It was the most powerfull header I'd ever seen, right in the upper corner. After he scored the goal he was running towards their bench and started crying. Now thats passion for the game.
Paulo Di Canio (for WH)....that volley off sinclairs cross ball....i think it was 98/99 season, it is easily the best goal for pure style. it was against wimboldon (i suggest you download it) Shawn Barlett last season, the volley from the ball over his head..... (or was it the season before?) Juninho's header against chelsea....just for the fact that the little fella headed a goal......(how!!!???)
Van Basten's volley v USSR in the 88 Euro finals. A long ball is lofted from midfield, and he catches up to it on the far right side of the box near the touchline. It appears as though he has no options other than to settle it and cross, but instead he strikes it first-time from an impossible angle past the keeper. The ball looked like it was still rising and picking up speed when it went in under the bar.
we have had these threads before and i will continue to vote for the same goal: George Best in the NASL when he beats like 6 defenders off the dribble inside the 18 and scores. The commentator said something like "He'll get the goal and he'll also get three assists."
Divot (Liverpool) v Blackburn Rovers (1997) Daisy-cutter from Stan Collymore was trundling harmlessly towards Tim Flowers in the Rovers' goal, until this divot nipped in from nowhere to chip it over the keeper. Class! The divot later went to Real Madrid for a world record fee.
Well, I'll only comment on goals I've actually seen when they occured. But the top has to be the goal Zidane scored in the Champions League final in May. Others of note are Nayim's goal from just inside the half line (Zaragoza-Arsenal, '95 Cupwinners Cup final) and Michael Owen's goal against Argentina, I believe, in France '98.
Hmm...so many options. I agree that Van Basten's was beautiful. Simply amazing. I have a ton of clips on my computer of great goals. Owen doing a scissor kick into the opposite top corner from just inside the 18, Ronaldo dribbling around 5 defenders like they are cones in the box with twists, spins, great touches. The only reason it loses is he scored by bouncing it off the keeper. Not the greatest shot. Donovan's against Portugal was also pretty nice. I'd probably go with Rivaldo's bicycle kick. I'm not sure who it's against, as the clip is in Japanese. I'll try to describe it. His midfielder dribbles a bit from inside the opponents half until he lays a lob off straight onto Rivaldo's chest. Rivaldo is at the edge of the box on the left side with his back to the goal. He jump up to chest it straight into the air, comes back down, steadies himself, jumps into the air and lands a great curving bicycle kick right into the bottom corner.
Roberto Carlos vs. Tenerife After recieving the ball on the left, he is parallel to the goal, and bends it in from out side 18. Like off of a corner, but a few yards closer. Not sure if the description is correct. Clarence Seedorf vs. ? (1997) Has the close 50 yards away, strikes a bullet from close to midfield, blazing past the keeper. Insane. Better than Becks' becuase it was a real shot, not a lob over the keeper. Sean Sean
I'll agree that it's nice to watch, but I'm tired of everyone thinking that it somehow makes Clint Mathis a genius. As a Burn fan, I'll not be the first to tell you that it said more about Dallas' poor defence than anything about Mathis. He didn't really do anything spectacular with the ball, he just dribbled around defenders who didn't have a clue what they doing and were falling around all over the place. My votes are the obvious ones that have been mentioned, but I'll have to throw in Fowler's goal against Villa in the FA Cup Semi in 95 or 96 (can't remember, it was played at Old Trafford). It was his second of the day. He caught an arching cross from the left side while he was just outside the right side of the box. Controls it with his chest and then takes the half volley and knocks it into the upper left hand side of the net. It was thing of beauty.
Innamoto Owen's goal against Argentina gets pimped so much, I just want to point out that Junichi Innamoto scored one just like it for Japan in this World Cup against Belgium. He took a pass in stride, blazed past one defender, cut past another into the box, and rocketed a left footed strike into the upper corner. I don't wanna come out and say there's a bias, Owen's goal was thrilling to watch, but it seems like he and Innamoto scored the same goal and Junichi gets hardly any mention, and people are falling over to call Owen's one of the best ever. Perhaps it's the England-Argentina stage, in the round of 16, as opposed to Japan playing Belgium in the first round? Whatever the reason, I just wanna throw Junichi's goal into the discussion to see what everyone thinks. I belive if Owen's gets that kind of clout, his should as well. Anyone else agree with me on this one?
you mean this one... http://www.richardefidler.com/soccerclips/RobertoCarlosRealMadridTenerife210298.mpeg un-real goal, the best i have ever seen...
Re: Innamoto Owen's goal came in such a hyped up game. Remember, there was a war between England and Argentina a while back. Belgium and Japan don't have that type of rivalry there.
helmzgk, check the last few lines of my post, that's exactly what I said. The media situation surrounding the two games were very different, but that doesn't mean the goals were.
Best one I've seen live is DeRosario's goal against MN Thunder in an exhibition this year. Unreal flying volley.
this is in the second leg match against valencia maybe? i wouldnt say it was the greatest goal (amazing tho), but i would say greatest performance. coming into the 2nd leg barcelona needed 3 goals to win on aggregate. rivaldo had a hat trick, finishing off with this 30yard so chest to bicycle.
i think it may be the roberto carlos goal from the corner flag mentioned earlier. i also agree the seedorf from 97 is much better than beckhams. beckham did nothign but lob a stupid keeper. clarence rifled a shot (the most powerful and on the spot shot i have ever seen) from around 50m and scored. roberto carlos aslo has a very similar shot to this one tho. on another note 1 of my fav plays ever would be iggita (sp?), the colombian keeper scorpioning a shot to clear it out against england i believe.