This morning in between an educated chat with Raphael Honigstein and note taking for this week’s Serie A matches I came across a hashtag on twitter that made the video archive system inside my head ticking.
#favouritefootballgoals
Simple, right? Not quite. Whether you have watched this game for 25 years or 25 days you’ll have a few favourites and some will simply be because you were at that game or your favourite team or player scored. All of those reasons and more factor in for me so I decided to share mine with you. I’m sure there are some I forgot but here on a random Tuesday in April I present to you my favourite football goals. Baker’s Dozen style. Please feel free to share your favourites below. Enjoy.
13. Lothar Matthaus, West Germany vs Yugoslavia 1990.
12. Steven Gerrard, Liverpool vs West Ham, FA Cup final 2006.
11. Roberto Baggio, Italy vs Czechoslavakia 1990.
10a. 10b. Matt Le Tissier x 2, Southampton vs Newcastle 1993
9. Ryan Giggs, Manchester United vs Arsenal 1999.
8. Roberto Carlos, Brazil vs France 1997.
7. Marco Van Basten, Netherlands vs USSR, Euro 88 final.
6. David Platt, England vs Belgium 1990.
5. Dennis Bergkamp, Netherlands vs Argentina 1998.
4. Dennis Bergkamp, Arsenal vs Newcastle 2002.
3. Dalian Atkinson, Aston Villa vs Wimbledon 1993.
2. Carlos Alberto, Brazil vs Italy 1970 World Cup Final.
1. Esteban Cambiasso, Argentina vs Serbia & Montenegro 2006. (scored at the end I was sitting in five rows from the front).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ehbfgISDEU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39zYaMf0AS0
first link is in english, second in HD.
-from cannavaro’s sort of double interception to del piero’s finish, nothing will ever top that goal for me.
-add the fact that the game was a semi-final to a world cup played in germany against germany AND in extra time.
-PLUS italy had totti, gilardino, iaquinta AND del piero on the field at the same time makes it that much more fantastic.
Watching highlights of that match still cause so much emotion for me. My favourite goal was the first one, in the 119th minute, to break the deadlock. To me, it felt like Pirlo had the ball at his feet for an eternity before that pass to Grosso.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kL4lF2Lkn6Y
My favorite isn’t an old one, and isn’t particularly significant, but in that moment, when the ball went in….
http://youtu.be/Awr0RObZDDU
Chiek Tiote v Arsenal, 87th minute screamer to win the draw after coming back from four goals down at the half. My face partially resembled Chiek;s when I saw it went in.
Alen Boksic, Lazio vs ?, Serie A, 199?.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuhmGXQK2mI&feature=related
Ronaldinho, Barcelona vs Villarreal, La Liga, 200?.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZimqUQK8nos
Zinedine Zidane, Real Madrid vs Bayer Leverkusen, UCL FInal, 2002
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KnE2cl8ikA
http://youtu.be/nXzXsdZJ5AQ
Messi and Maradonna’s similar runs are in many people’s Top 10.
The first Bergkamp goal included the best commentary I’ve ever heard.
1) Tony Yeboah – Legend and the best goal I have ever seen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBBnKu5bnCE
2) Dwayne De Rosario – Free Kick Laser. And on Goalie Kevin Hartman to boot. The last replay of the end camera in live speed shows the bend and power of the shot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML7Kh_Na3Tg
The Giovanni van Bronckhorst screamer against Uruguay, I just remembered the shock and awe I felt when I saw this strike.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwEZdDGWZKQ
The #5 goal you had was my number 1. I will never forget it.
I was in a bar across from a church where I had to go to my friend’s wedding to which I was late.
Like ^%&* I was going to miss Holland Argentina.
Zidane, 02 CL Final.
Ronaldo vs Porto.
Pretty on point though.
Great goal, greatest celebration:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8vrqAhJ7Wk
Tardelli! Greatest celebration ever.
The second goal by Le Tiss might be the best that I have ever seen, just from the way it seems like, to me at least, that he’s just going to shoot from wherever he pleases and he doesn’t give a damn.
But as for my favourites, well they tend to take on heavy bias towards my club, Rangers.
1) Every single goal scored by the man himself, Super Ally:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G14PmF0FY5U
2) This is way before my time, but this goal from Davie Cooper is nothing short of insane:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmECazR7jyA
3) It’s not a Rangers goal actually, but Scott ‘Super Sub’ McDonald’s 2 goals for Motherwell over Celtic on the final day of the SPL season in 2005 to give Rangers the title on Helicopter Sunday. The only player who ever played for Celtic that I approve of because of this day:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p1zgov_-a8
Le Tissier’s goal at the 1:40 mark is just outrageous, he is THE boss.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-cK0nShbh8
Whoops, apparently posted a concert video instead of the Ally comp, here’s the right link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzyyXrUj244
As a Juve fan massive bias for Del Piero’s goal vs Fiorentina:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzhfclTiruc
plus his goal vs Real Madrid, where he makes Hierro and Salgado both take a seat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6V7qJ-Sgxw&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL0CA5A86AFA77F3B4
Owen’s goal vs Argentina was also brilliant especially when you consider he was 18!!!
Stevie G’s goal at #12 is my all time fave others on my list in no particular order:
Both of Robbie Fowler’s goals in the 4-3 classic w/ Newcastle, which cemented me as a Liverpool fan for life & him as my favourite player ever. Nothing special about them for sure, but his play that night & the passion & determination he exuded converted me as I mentioned. To the end…
Stan Collymore’s winner in that match
Ray Houghton’s goals for Ireland to beat England at Euro 88 & Italy at WC94 the greatest goals ever scored for Ireland
Landycakes’ injury time goal for the US vs Algeria at WC2010 to win the group
Ronaldo’s free kick vs Pompey. Still wondering how he made the ball move as he did
Just to name a few
Would have been so disappointed if you didn’t have bergkamp’s goal (#4) on here.
Beauty!
nothing can top this goal from Antonio Cassano for Bari against Inter Milan. It was only his second match in the team (he was 17) and take a look at the skill to control the ball, beat out Laurent Blanc and Christian Panucci and slot the ball home for a win!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rRX8GzJNEI
All Fantastic choices. An Honourable mention to Weah’s goal against Lecce
Also this wonder goal capped off the greatest hattrick I’ve ever seen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjVMASe9gYI
Roberto Carlos’ goal in the following video has always been one that’s stuck out to me since I first saw it simply for the “how the hell’d he do that” factor.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhVDFEW5348