- Marco Van Basten – 1988 European Championship Final – In the 54th minute of the championship match between the Netherlands and Germany, Basten scored one of the best goals in the history of the European Championships. He took a cross from teammate Gerd Muller inside the box from an impossible angle. Without even settling the ball, Basten one-timed the ball into the upper, far-corner of the goal, just out of the hands of the outstretched goalkeeper. Basten finished off that tournament as the top scorer.
- Roberto Carlos – 1997 Tournoi de France – Roberto Carlos scored what is considered the greatest free kick goal in the history of the sport from about 35 meters out. A masterful kick which curved to the right around the wall of defenders and snuck back inside the right post without the goalie being able to do much more than stand there. Carlos played the free kick with a perfect spin, guiding it’s way through the defense and right into the back of the neck. Almost two decades later, his goal is still considered the best goal scored from a free kick in football history.
- Diego Maradona – 1986 World Cup – Arguably the most famous and well-known goal scored in the history of the sport, Maradon’s goal in the 1986 World Cup against England was a great run made by a player on a mission. After receiving a pass from a teammate, Maradona started sprinting down the field, juking 3 English players in the process, including the goalie, before putting the ball into the back of the net from inside the box, as he was taken down by a slide tackle. It’s become an iconic goal for not just Argentina, but the whole football world. Argentina later went on to win the tournament with Maradona winning the honor as the best player in the tournament. Maradona is to soccer as Jon Price is to Handicapping in the sports betting world.
- Lionel Messi – 2007 Copa Del Rey – In the semi-finals of the Copa Del Rey against Getafe, Messi scored a goal for Barcelona which was very reminiscent of Maradona’s historic run before it. After getting the ball around midfield, Messi raced down the center of the field past the Getafe defense, juking numerous slide tackles before finally faking out the goalie and finishing off the classic try by one of the sport’s best players ever.
- Zlatan Ibrahimovich – 2004 UEFA Champions League – The best goal in the history of the game wasn’t an amazing run, but rather an amazing display of ball skills as Ibrahimovich faked out practically half of the NAC Breda club right outside the box. Turning left, then right, then back left, Ibrahimovich was leaving defenders twisting and turning as they could not keep up with the Ajax striker, before he finished off with one last fake in front of the goalie, before depositing the ball into the back of the net with his left boot, and earning his spot at the top of the sport’s greatest goals ever scored.
WORLD FOOTBALL WEEKLY 