Sure a goal is a goal, but some look more impressive than others. I find goals scored directly from the FK really amazing, especially if it's from some distance and there's a full wall in front. A player breaking down several defenders with stepovers and superior dribbling is just amazing.
Bicycle kick goals are always nice. I also love a double header goal when one player heads the ball into the box followed by a header into the net. Any goal that helps the USA beat Mexico is also on my list.
I love the FK goals as well. Beckham's are always great, and so are Roberto Carlos's, that is when he isn't firing into the crowd. I like goals that result from a really nice through-pass, as well.
I find volleys are the most difficult to perform and the most pleasing to watch. Free kicks are wonderful and take an immense amount of skill but when it's a dead ball there is ample time to think about where you want to place the ball and all the emphasis is placed on simply striking it correctly. On a volley it's often a split second decision in which a player must not only decide where he wants to put the ball but also must concentrate on striking the ball perfectly out of mid-air. I enjoy any goal, but for me it's more special if it's a volley.
...For that matter I love half-volleys too (For instance, Sunday Oliseh's blast against Spain in '98 or Dennis Rommedahl's beautiful winner against France in Japan/South Korea).
I like volleys and tough (impossible!) angle goals. My favorite goals are the ones where the ball is rolling slowly into the goal and every soul in the stadium knows it's going in before it crosses the line... the keeper's and defender's faces as it gets closer as they are running to try and catch it even though they know it's in vain... I LOVE IT!
I tend to be a big fan of the team goal. In fact, I rate Senegal's counterattack brilliance against Denmark as the top goal of WC 2002. A series of one and two touch passes that got the ball up field in a matter of seconds and into the path of an attacker making the perfect run to smash it home. I also favor the goal where a team works the ball to the end line and cuts it back to the 6 or 12 for an easy tap in. Sure, it doesn't have the aesthetics or overt athleticism of a Rivaldo overhead or a Beckham bender, but it's pure, simple, classic football.
Any score directly from the corner (not touching another player) is very rare, and is always amazing.
Re: Re: Types of goals that impress you Rocket powered Outstanding..! My favourite is a guy going down the left, cutting back to his right foot and curling into the top right 90. Or that shot of Paulo DiCanio on the volley.
My favorite type of goal is when a single player simply deimates the opposition with supe-glue dribbling and superb finishing. Ronaldo '96-'98 was just a joy to watch. Marked by 2 or 3 players he would simply go thru them all like they didn't exist. George Weah used to make me laugh when he was at his peak in serie A and opposing teams just didn't know what to do to stop him as he waltzed thru their entire back lines. I'm always impressed with phenomenal accuracy as well. Romario and Ronaldo epitomise this hitting the ball delicately across the floor at such precise angles that it makes the goalkeeper look like he's moving in slow motion as the ball casually glides into the net.. the amount of time Romario would aim for the inside of the post to score was just amazing.
paul scholes goal against everton last year was unbelivable, the tv captured the shot in frames, it was that fast. "here's the man who made the breakthrough and looks for another, what a goal!!. well even by his standard that was something special, and unbelievably manchester united who were just five minutes ago on a nil nil scoreline, are now leading three nil, and everton and have been battered as far as the scoreline is concerned despite surviving for eighty-five minutes." The goal was so good it made me remember what the announcer said.!!
Instinct goals. The ones where the player just appears at the right time, and gets the right touch on it. I remember Batistuta using a right foot to just barely redirect a cross from the left into the far corner. It was the slightest of touches but you knew he meant it and that very few in the world could have pulled it off.
I'll do a list: 1. Goals that require acrobatic skills - rainbows etc where the player has to be in the air to reach the ball with his feet. Like Elmilson's stunner in WC2002. 2. Extreme acuracy - where the player has only inches to spare otherwise the keeper would do a save and he curves it into the top corner for example a la Zidane or Figo. 3. Catching the keeper offguard from the midfield with a long lob or a mega-powerful straight shot from 50 yards out. Wow! 4. Direct Free kick that touches the post or the crossbar or is otherwise very accurate. 5. When a striker does something very amazing to beat the last defender for a shot on goal. Like Del Piero against Real on Wednesday. 6. Amazingly good luck - like a deflection from a defender or straight from the corner. For example Roberto Carlos's goal from the goal line when he was just trying to get to the ball and save it from going across the line and swing it towards the penalty area.
Side volleys are always nice goals. ---------- One of the most beautiful goals was Romarios goal against the Dutch in WC 94 was a beautiful finish off the half volley. It was beauiful to watch and i must have watched it a hundred times. Seedorfs golazo off the dribble from 45 yards out was a fantastic goal. Keeper saw it all the way and still and no chance to stop it. The whole stadium roared the moment he struck that ball. They all knew it was going to be a goal. It was like a cannon shot. A goal scored by Roberto Cabanas when he was with the Cosmos it was a head high side volley was the most athletic goals I have ever seen. I wish I had that one on tape. An under 19 game kid scored 40 yards out outside of the foot, ball was in the air but never more then 12 inches off the ground tailing away into the right side netting. That was a bullet fantastic goal. Not every great finish is done by a professional. ------------------------- On Free kicks Branco from brazil was the best taking long free kicks, much better then Roberto Carlos or anyone else for that matter.
Saw a Boca Juniors(?) match on FSW, where a loose ball in the box turned into a goal off a bicycle kick on a ball that came off another bicycle kick. There will never be any other goal that does it for me for as long as I live.
I like the tactical surprise goals. There can be one player involved or several but what I want is the build up then that turn against the flow that opens up the space for the shot. Donovan's strike that was deflected out against Germany in the last WC would have been one. Bergkamp's goal vs. Argentina in '98 was one like that. gildarkevin - Thanks for reminding me of that one. I was trying to remember what game that was but could not remember. I don't think I have that game taped but only saw the highlight. That was an outstanding goal.
Any goal against W****s is special. One of my favourite goals is Marco Van Bastens overhead against i think it was Groningen when he was at Ajax.