Soccer is by far the most popular sport on the planet. Billions of people from all around the world tune in every weekend to watch their favorite players and clubs perform on the big stage.
And every so often, these fans get to witness something special, something spectacular.
Today, I’ll be looking at the five best goals in the history of the sport.
From Ibrahimovic’s flying bicycle kick to Roberto Carlos’ famed free kick against France, these goals are sure to amaze.
The first of the Brazilian’s goals on this list came in 1998 against Tenerife. Just a year prior, he had scored the craziest free kick ever seen. He would score another insane one today.
Real Madrid came into the match second in the league, but they fell behind early to a relatively weak Tenerife side. A through ball to Roberto Carlos scampered down the left sideline, looking as though it was going out of bounds. The left-back had other plans.
Roberto Carlos sprinted down the left sideline at full speed, trying his best to reach the bouncing ball. He reached it just before it exited the baseline, and what happened next was nothing short of impossible.
Realizing that there was no way he could control the ball before it went out of bounds, he had two options – attempt a cross to his teammates within the area or attempt an audacious shot.
He chose the latter. With the outside of his left foot, he swung at full force towards the goal. Expecting the ball to go into the area, Ojeda started to move that way.
But what Tenerife’s keeper didn’t account for was the spin that Roberto Carlos had put on the ball. As Ojeda lunged towards the area, the shot curled the other way, and just like that, the score was 1-1.
Many have examined the physics of the goal in great detail, and the chances of replicating that shot are practically nonexistent. In fact, they calculated that if Ojeda had merely stuck his arm out, there was no way the ball could go in.
But Ojeda was fooled by the ball’s spin and trajectory, and the tiniest gap was left between him and the goal.
Roberto Carlos exploited that space, pulling off the impossible. Sprinting full speed down the sideline, the Brazilian hit the perfect shot, and he scored one of the most unbelievable goals in recent memory.
Ibrahimovic is no stranger to incredible goals. This one is arguably his best. Sweden was facing off against England in a friendly at Stockholm. The score was 3-2 in favor of Sweden, Ibrahimovic having provided all of the Swedes’ goals.
With time expiring, the Swedish defense launched a long clearance into the English half. The ball bounced once, landing in an awkward position for Joe Hart, who had come out of his box to head it away.
The keeper managed to get his head on it, but the header lacked enough power to clear the danger fully.
Ibra was ready. As the ball bounced behind the forward, the typical reaction would be to control the ball and to attempt a chip over the out-of-position Joe Hart. Ibrahimovic opted for a much crazier route.
The Swede jumped up in the air, performing a ridiculous bicycle kick from well outside the area. The ball looped into the air before finally cascading into the net past a sliding English player. The commentators erupted, and the home crowd went wild.
Ibrahimovic had done it. The looming forward had single-handedly won his team the friendly, scoring all 4 goals, including one that will never be forgotten. Ibra’s goal would later win the Puskas Award for Goal of the Year, and it would define that match for the rest of time.
Ahh, yes. The Roberto Carlos free kick. Possibly the most famous goal in all of soccer history. A goal that has never been repeated and one that most likely never will be.
It was a friendly against France; just 1 year later, the 2 teams would meet up in the final of the World Cup. Brazil had just earned themselves a free kick, and they were looking to score first. It would be Roberto Carlos, the left-back, to take it.
What happened next was a mix of crazy and impossible. Roberto Carlos decided to try something insane, something that wouldn’t work if you attempted it a thousand times, even a million times. Something that no one would dare to do in a real match, even a friendly.
The foul occurred on the right side of the box, albeit a good 10 yards behind the area itself. Being left-footed, everyone was expecting the Brazilian to go to the left corner of the goal, the natural tendency being for players to shoot across their body.
And it looked as though he would do precisely that. As he ran up to the ball, he started to approach it more from the left as though he was trying to hit it with the outside of his boot (sound familiar?). And that’s what he did, leaping into the air as he took his shot.
It worked. The ball curved to the right of the wall and the goal. It must be going out, right? It didn’t.
The spin from taking it with the exterior of his foot brought the ball back towards the goal, spiraling into the net, and rendering French goalkeeper Fabien Barthez, one of the best goalkeepers in the world, completely immobile.
How Roberto Carlos had managed to do that remains unknown. The Brazilian himself remains shocked at that goal, just as the millions who have viewed it since are as well. It was ludicrous, ridiculous, insane, reckless, perhaps even stupid, but sometimes that’s exactly what you need.
For those who liken Messi to fellow Argentinian, Diego Maradona, this goal is a perfect example of why that is. Messi’s goal might not be identical to his compatriot’s, nor on as grand of a stage, but the skill, the flair, the talent is all there.
If this doesn’t convince you that Messi is the best player in the world right now, I don’t know what will.
It was April 18th, 2007. Barcelona was facing Getafe in the semifinals of the Copa del Rey. Having already taken the lead courtesy of Xavi, all they needed to do was hold on. They would do much more than that.
Xavi played a simple pass through to Messi who was still in his own half. Three lightning-quick touches and Messi had already darted past 2 of Getafe’s players, nutmegging both in the process. The Argentinian began his sprint down the field, the embarrassed opposition still chasing him down.
The ball seemed to stick to his feet. The field would be open for him up to the edge of the penalty box. Three defenders stood in his way, another one chasing him down from behind. A sharp left cut followed by another forward sprint would get rid of all of them. Only the keeper stood in his way.
Another right cut and the keeper was gone, having decided to slide prematurely. One Getafe defender tried desperately to run back to his goal, but Messi’s slightly lobbed shot would finish it off.
Just like that, it was 2-0, with6 defenders and the goalkeeper left in disbelief, and the commentators and crowd erupting.
It was almost a perfect imitation of Maradona’s goal, one that had taken place 21 years prior. Messi had done the impossible and had taken the ball from his own half of the pitch on a solo run to score. One of the most incredible goals. In the blink of an eye, little Leo Messi had turned nothing into something.
Barcelona would win that game, but they would not progress to the final after a crushing 4-0 defeat in the second leg. But Messi’s goal will be remembered forever as one of the best in the sport’s history.
If we’re going to include Messi’s version of this legendary goal, we have to add the original as well. Maradona’s blistering run against England in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals was nicknamed the “Goal of the Century,” and for good reason.
It was the quarterfinal of the 1986 World Cup. Maradona had just scored one of the most controversial goals in history, the “Hand of God.” Following protests by English players and coaches, the game was back underway.
Just 4 minutes later, Maradona would strike again. Getting the ball within his own half, the Argentinian would execute a quick roulette turn to get rid of 2 English players. He would begin his sprint down the right sideline. A quick left touch would get him past Terry Butcher.
Another defender stood in front of him. It would be a right cut this time to make it 4 defenders. Another right touch would get him past the keeper, and he would slot it home. Argentina had just made it 2-0.
While one could argue that Messi’s rendition or Roberto Carlos’ free kick took more talent, this goal took place on the biggest stage of world soccer with the spotlight and pressure of the entire world bearing down upon him.
Argentina would go on to win that game 2-1, and they would hoist the trophy against West Germany 2 rounds later.
Maradona had captained his team to the most prestigious title in the sport, and he had done so in spectacular fashion, scoring an unforgettable goal in the process.
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