True. I guess it is an issue of semantics really. When I think of "greatest," I'm thinking the top 5-10. I was never meaning to argue against it being one of the top 15-20 goals, but I can see how some would have taken it that way.
When you mean greatest you mean by importance correct? Either way Mathis' goal has to be in the top 10, and can be very high on the list, I think it could crack the top 5 personally. On a different note, we had some world class goals in that World Cup. Mcbrides diving header, both goals vs Mexico, and Mathis' finish'. All class.
The goal is one I will never forget. It's etched in my memory for two reasons: 1) it remains one of the most skillful and mature attacking plays I've ever seen from the USA, and 2) the excitement of the US play during that World Cup really sealed my love for the sport. That JOB ball in over the top of defenders right to the foot of Mathis in tight space was sublime, Mathis' touch and finish absolutely superb. Simply a fantastic goal from a rare genuine American finisher. "THAT'S WHY HE'S HERE!!!"
Haha i can never forget that. Great all around play, great goal call from Jack Edwards, and I was only 10 back then and it was the first few soccer matches I ever watched, and I loved them. Thats what im trying to figure out, I can only think of maybe a couple.
Hmmm...I love Clint's goal, definitely top 10 but let's see what I can come up with... Michael Bradley '10 v Slovenia Donovan '10 v Algeria Donovan '02 v Mexico McBride '02 v Portugal Stewart '94 v Colombia Gaetjens '50 v England Altidore '09 v Spain Dempsey '09 v Spain Preki '98 v Brazil That's all I can think of, and that's only 9. Definitely top 10.
Good list, but I would say that Prekis goal vs Brazil, and Jozys and Dempseys goal vs Spain are not bigger than Clints just due to the fact that there not in the world cup. One you did miss was Mcbride vs Mexico, which turned out to be the game winner in the round of 16.
Spain goals weren't in the World Cup, but oh man, what a shot of pure adrenaline and ecstasy (against the #1 team in the world...almost better than a WC). If you add the Mathis goal to that list, that makes it a top 10. I think that pretty much covers everything. Although I decided to go with Donovan v Mexico instead of McBride because that goal iced it, and then we knew without a doubt the Yanks were heading to the q'finals.
Well I've already talked about them several times throughout the thread. I myself do not elevate every single World Cup goal above all others. Especially now that the US plays in every World Cup, I don't think we should. But that's just my opinion. In the World Cup: Gaetjens' "impossible goal," Wynalda's free kick versus Switzerland, Stewart's winner over Colombia, McBride's clincher against Portugal, Bradley against Slovenia, and Donovan versus Algeria. I'd say both goals against Mexico in the World Cup were equal too. Outside of the World Cup: Caligiuri's "Shot heard round the world," Preki's winner over Brazil, Altidore's turn against Spain, and Donovan's counter against Brazil.
there's nothing bigger than the world cup. nothing. and Mathis' silencing sixty+ thousand Koreans goal.
"One of the biggest"=Most vital to me in winning at the Mundial or booking tickets to See Above Again, host nation folks. And like one person mentioned earlier...we don't get dos a cero without that Mathis wonderstrike. Thus it is easily top 10. My most vital finishes: McBride v Mexico '02 Donovan v Mexico '02 Gajetans v the Limeys '50 Stewart v Colombia '94 Mathis v S Korea '02 Wynalda v Swiss '94 Caliguiri v T&T '89 WCQ Ramos v Costa Rica '97 WCQ
Re: "One of the biggest"=Most vital to me in winning at the Mundial or booking tickets to I still think Paulie C's has to go higher.
Re: "One of the biggest"=Most vital to me in winning at the Mundial or booking tickets to A perfectly good list of "vital" finishes, each one getting or clinching a crucial win or tie. But you forgot a few of the best: Donovan's vs Algeria '10 Bradley's vs Slovenia '10 Donovan's DFK vs Honduras '09 WCQ McBride's vs Portugal '02 And in terms of pure beauty and drama against an elite opponent, Donovan's brilliant counter goal vs Brazil in the Confed Cup Final in 2009 has got to be on any list of best US goals, even if it didn't end up winning or clinching anything.
Re: "One of the biggest"=Most vital to me in winning at the Mundial or booking tickets to I'll go with you on that. I think you can put the Mathis goal next to that Donovan goal in the category of two of the most beautiful goals ever scored by the United States.
Start with your list and modify as follows: Caligeri '89 v T&T Mathis '02 v SK Michael Bradley '10 v Slovenia Donovan '10 v Algeria Donovan '02 v Mexico McBride '02 v Portugal Stewart '94 v Colombia Wynaldo '94 v Switzerland Preki '98 v Brazil Ramos '97 v Costa Rica (Portland, Or) I took out Gaetjens '50 v England because it had zero impact on soccer in the US. It's just a big foot note and no one saw it in the US. WC goals and key WC Qualification goals trump most all other goals (which is why I took out the goals against Spain). I left in Preki's goal because at the time in US Soccer it was huge to beat Brazil. Plus, it was a beautiful goal. I added Ramos because qualification in '98 was huge. With a new pro league and the success of '94, not making the WC would of been a huge dissapointment and set back for the US. Tab hit a beautiful goal against Costa Rica for a key win in qualification.
Let's throw McBride's shinguard-breaker against Guatemala in 2000 in there as well: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=et43GhLabXI"]YouTube- 2002 WCQ: Brian McBride scores vs Guatemala[/ame] Without that goal it's unlikely the US even qualifies for the Hex. Think about that for a moment. I honestly believe Caligiuri's goal in Trinidad, Ramos's in Portland and McBride's in RFK were the three biggest goals in the history of the program. Without them, we're basically Canada.
Paul Caligiuri's vs T&T was the birth of US Soccer. There will never be a more important goal in my lifetime.
This is a thread I meant to start a while back. Where would US soccer be if Caligiuri didn't hit that bomb? The answer IMO isnt as simple as you'd think. If anyone wants to start it up, I think its an interesting discussion.
I included this goal a while back and was criticized for it. I'm just not in the camp of elevating World Cup goals above all else no matter the quality.
World Cup Qualifying is still more important than the World Cup Finals. The first is existential for soccer in the US; the second is not.