Oh My Word!
Sam On Sport takes a look back at some of the best ever World Cup goals.
Oh My Word!
Brilliant goals are scored all the time, on the school playground, during Sunday League matches, in any one of the thousands of five-a-side games that take place every week, and, of course, in football stadiums all around the world.
A brilliant goal scored at the World Cup is different though. It is there for everyone, permanently etched in the minds of the millions watching. They become moments, events that are looked back on as markers in life. Many people will always remember where they were and who they were with when a brilliant goal is scored.
Over the history of the World Cup there have been hundreds of fantastic goals and whole books could, and have, been written about them. In this article, I am going to list some of my own favourites. You will see ones that you are expecting but hopefully there will also be some that you have not seen, or have forgotten, that will inspire you to go back and rediscover the magic all over again.
Carlos Alberto - 1970: Brazil v Italy
One of the great team goals by what has been called the greatest team of all time to put the icing on Brazil’s third World Cup win. Already 3-1 up with 5 minutes remaining, Brazil passed the ball around at the back before it reached Clodoaldo. The right-half moved forward, moving past a number of Italian midfielders before laying the ball off to Rivelino on the left. Rivelino then moved it forward again, passing up the line to Jairzinho. The winger darted past Giacinto Fachetti before squaring to Pele at the edge of the box. Rather than shooting, the great striker rolled the ball to the right, seemingly without looking. As if from nowhere, right-back and captain Carlos Alberto arrived with perfect timing to smash a shot across Enrico Albertosi in goal and into the far corner. Absolute perfection.
Arie Haan - 1978: Netherlands v Italy
A completely different type of goal against Italy but just as impressive. Drawing 1-1 with around fifteen minutes left of a crucial second group stage tie, the Netherlands won a free-kick around 45 yards from goal. The ball was nudged to Arie Haan who took one small touch to steady himself and then let rip with a stunning, swerving drive that flew in off the post and left the great Dino Zoff stranded. An absolute thunderbolt of an effort that set the standard for long-range beauties.
Manuel Negrete - 1986: Mexico v Bulgaria
This was a goal of pure beauty and athleticism, a showcase of reflexes and acrobatic style. In the first half of their Last 16 tie with Bulgaria, with the score at 0-0, Manuel Negrete found himself on the ball just outside the Bulgarian area. He played a one-two with Javier Aguirre and then threw himself into the air, connecting perfectly with a scissored volley that went flying into the back of the net. Improvisation at its best.
Diego Maradona - 1986: Argentina v England
Before describing the goal itself, this one deserves a little context. Just four years after the conclusion of the Falklands War, Argentina met England in the quarter-final of the World Cup with tensions still high. Maradona, the best player in the world, had then heightened things further by punching in his nation’s opening goal in the 51st minute, showcasing his guile and craftiness. Just four minutes later though, he showcased his brilliance. The little artist received the ball in his own half and turned to evade two England players. He then accelerated into the English half, leaving more in his wake. On the edge of the box he sent Terry Fenwick the wrong way before coolly rounding Peter Shilton and then finishing off. It was pure genius and possibly the greatest individual goal of all time.
Roberto Baggio - 1990: Italy v Czechoslovakia
Baggio had overcome serious injury earlier in his career to go on and make his name with Fiorentina. He was cleary an Italian star for the future and had just inked a deal with the mighty Juventus. In the final group game of their home World Cup, Italy were 1-0 up against Czechoslovakia and looking to secure a victory when the ball fell to Baggio in the 78th minute. From just inside his own half, he played a one-two with Giuseppe Giannini before sprinting down the left with the ball then cutting inside towards the penalty area. Feigning one way and moving the other, the ball seemingly attached to his feet, Baggio jinked into the box before curling his finish past the onrushing Jan Stejskal and into the top corner. This was Baggio truly announcing himself on the World Cup stage.
Gheorghe Hagi - 1994: Romania v Colombia
I have written about this goal before but it is one that truly sticks with me as a moment that really captured my interest during the first World Cup that I personally remember watching. Hagi was passed the ball out on the left touchline. Looking up, he shaped as if he was about to cross into the box but instead took an audacious shot which arced over the head of Colombian goalkeeper Oscar Cordoba before dropping into the back of the net from fully 35 yards out. Unexpected and unbelievable.
Saeed Al-Owairan - 1994: Saudi Arabia v Belgium
Another in the long list of individual World Cup efforts, Saeed Al-Owairan’s goal against Belgium has truly stood the test of time. The attacker intercepted the ball not far outside his own penalty area and took off up the field, leaving a trail of staggering Belgians behind him. Coming across more pressure near the edge of the Belgian area, he just carried on, finishing off his effort with a lovely lift over Michel Preud’homme. It may have looked a little out of control at times but for me this added to the beauty of it. Unconventional but undeniable.
Pierre Njanka - 1998: Cameroon v Austria
Sometimes overlooked in favour of the efforts above, Pierre Njanka’s goal in Cameroon’s group stage match against Austria in 1998 was still fantastic. The left-back picked the ball up in his own half and, seeing space in front of him, moved forward. The further he went, the more the Austrians backed off and he soon found himself in the opposition penalty area. Rather than panicking, he calmly pulled the ball back, completely outwitting Austrian defender Peter Schottel who slid past him, before slotting it home. It was opportunistic but also showed off brilliant skill and composure.
Micheal Owen - 1998: England v Argentina
Young Michael Owen had burst onto the Premier League scene with Liverpool in the season building up to the 1998 World Cup, displaying blistering speed, clinical finishing and the impudence that only comes with youth. This goal against Argentina contained all of those things. Owen brilliantly controlled a David Beckham pass with the outside of his boot before driving directly towards the Argentinian goal. He wrong-footed Roberto Ayala on the edge of the box before cutting the ball back across himself and out of the reach of Carlos Roa and into the goal. Teenage rebellion at its finest.
Dennis Bergkamp - 1998: Netherlands v Argentina
If Owen’s goal was the epitome of young exuberance, Dennis Bergkamp’s goal against the same opponent in the next round was artistic perfection. In the last minute of a tense quarter-final with the scores locked at 1–1, it looked like it would take something special to win it. That is exactly what happened. Frank de Boer sent a long-range pass over virtually the entire Argentina team and into their penalty area. Bergkamp lifted his right boot and plucked the ball out of the sky, immediately bringing it under control. In the same movement, he then turned inside on himself, leaving Roberto Ayala stranded before he finally curled the ball with the outside of his right boot past Roa in goal. Absolute genius at work.
Esteban Cambiasso - 2006: Argentina v Serbia and Montenegro
Rather than an effort of individual brilliance, this goal is more in the category of Carlos Alberto’s, all about the teamwork and the build up. Starting deep in their own half, Argentina began to pass the ball around, slowly working their way up the field. The move picked up pace when Juan Roman Riquelme played in Cambiasso who fed it on to Hernan Crespo. The striker then brilliantly back-heeled it back into Cambiasso’s path who gratefully smashed a left-footed shot home. In total the move encompassed 25 passes between nine different Argentinian players. Teamwork at its best.
Robin van Persie - 2014: Netherlands v Spain
Going into the 2014 World Cup, Spain had won the last three major competitions that they had taken part in and were incredibly confident in their abilities. Nobody seemed to tell the Netherlands though, who would batter them 5-1 in their opening match. Spain were actually 1-0 up heading towards half-time but in the 44th minute, Robin van Persie levelled in a magnificent manner. Daley Blind played a long ball over the top from the left and, spotting Iker Casillas off his line, van Persie threw himself full-length at it, sending a tremendous looping header over the goalkeeper and into the net. It was a brilliant piece of improvisation that turned the tide of the game.
James Rodriguez - 2014: Colombia v Uruguay
James had lit up the 2014 World Cup with some brilliant performances and lovely goals but everything else paled in comparison to his stunning effort against Uruguay in the Last 16. Abel Aguilar headed the ball towards the midfielder who, with his back to goal, controlled it with his chest before swivelling and hitting a perfect dipping volley into the top corner from well outside the area. The clip off the underside of the crossbar on its way in made it even better.
Benjamin Pavard - 2018: France v Argentina
In a precursor to their epic final four years later, France and Argentina met in the Last 16 of the 2018 World Cup in what would turn out to be one of the games of the tournament. The South Americans had pulled themselves back from a goal down to be 2-1 up but in the 57th minute, full-back Benjamin Pavard would equalise in fine style. Lucas Hernandez sent a cross into the box that had too much on it and bypassed everyone in the middle. With the ball bouncing just in front of him at the edge of the area, right-back Pavard leant backwards and sliced a perfect half-volley that went flying into the back of the net. Perfection from an unlikely source.
Hopefully this summer’s World Cup will proudice more spectacular efforts that can join a list like this in future. I look forward to finding out what is in store.
If you are enjoying my World Cup content, please take some time to listen to the Sam On Sport podcast which provides a preview to the tournament.