Year : 1986 …. Time : about 3:30 or 4:00 am.
A 6 year old is awakened by the sound of loud cheering, clapping and cursing from the living room. Curious to know what was happening, the kid stumbles out of bed and staggers half asleep to the living room.
She sees her two older brothers engrossed in watching a football match. *Football ? *NOW?? At this hour??? With so many questions in her head, the kid plonks on the sofa beside her brothers and like them becomes engrossed in the football.
Year : 2006 ….
The story continues, the kid is all grown up now, but the sights and sounds of that eventful night 20 years ago are still fresh in her mind. That was the night she saw GOD. That day – June 22, 1986. The heavenly event - England vs Argentina. The GOD in question – Diego Maradona. So impressed was she, that she instructed her family to address her as Maradona (the demand ofcourse wasn’t met)
The kid decides to write about what she saw. How that one goal changed her life. How she learnt to appreciate the beautiful game . How she learnt that football wasn’t just about tackles and rough play. And she also learnt plenty of “colourful” words to be used when watching or playing football ;-)
With the World cup just around the corner, all the talk among collegues, friends, family members revolves around football and the world cup.
And for a football fanatic like me, it’s the time to PARTY!!! So here they are, the best goals according to me.
The goals I have picked are not all from the World cup, some from the Premier/Spanish League and Champions League. The criteria for these goals being memorable are :
i. Did the goal contribute to the teams success
ii. Was it just a sneak goal in a goalmouth scramble or was it scored by going past defenders and then foxing the goalie
iii. Sometimes a goal may not be that impressive, but the celebration after scoring makes it attractive to watch (e.g Alan Shearer’s raised right hand run or the diving Klinsmann)
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Maradona v England (Mexico 1986) *: This goal was voted the best goal of the century. Argentina beat England 2-1 in the quarters with Maradona scoring both the goals. The first was the famous “Hand of God”. The second was an absolute gem. He collected the ball in his own half, took it past 6 English defenders, sold a dummy to Peter Shilton, the goalie and then smacked it into the goal.
Michael Owen v Argentina (France 1998) *: Another gem of a goal. Coming on as a sub, Owen scored this beauty. The match is more remembered for the Beckham send off. This was the debut match for the 18 year old Owen. He also had a part in the second goal. But this goal will always remain the best ever scored by Owen.
Ronaldinho v England (Korea/Japan 2002) *: The “Samba King” from Rio scored this one from a free kick in the quarter finals against England. The free kick looped over the goalkeeper, David Seaman’s head and landed into the goal. The look on Seaman’s face – PRICELESS!
Zinedine Zidane v Bayer Leverkusen (Champions League 2002) *: The best goal scored by the Magician. Zidane scored the winning goal in the match. The goal was an absolute treat to watch. Though I was on Leverkusen side, that goal got my applause too! It was a beautiful volley, that took the goalie by surprise.
Saeed Owiran v Belgium (USA 94) *: The surprise package of the lot. Who would have thought a player from a low ranked team like Saudi Arabia would score the goal that would make it to the “all time greatest goals of the world cup” list. The credit also goes to the lousy Belgian defence who helped Owiran to score this goal. Dribbling from his own half, fooling the defenders and sending the goal into the back of the net. Simply amazing.
Hakan Sukur v Korea (Korea/Japan 2002) *: This was in the playoff for the 3rd place in the 2002 World cup. A mistake by the Korean defenders immediately after the kick off was well judged by Sukur who scored the fastest goal ever in a World cup finals. (11 seconds). Turkey won 3-2, and because theres a record attached to this goal, it finds a place in my top 10.
Wayne Rooney v Arsenal (EPL 2002) *: By scoring this goal for Everton against Arsenal in October 2002, Rooney became the youngest goal scorer in the history of the premiership at 16 years of age. It was a memorable goal for Everton because they beat Arsenal, for Rooney as it was his first goal and for the football fans for its sheer brilliance. It was a beautiful field goal, hammered from the left flank into the back of the goal.
Hwan Jung Ahn v Italy (Korea/Japan 2002) *: Korea were the surprise package of the 2002 World cup along with co- hosts Japan. In the knockout match (round of 16) against Italy, the two teams were locked at 1-1 after 90 mins and the match went into extra time. Ahn, who was playing for Italian club Perugia at that time, headed the ball into the goal thus giving Korea a BIG win. The goal was more strategy, less skill. It broke the hearts of all the Italians, and Ahn lost out on his contract with the Italian club. Thus, the Golden goal scored by the “Lord of the Ring” took Korea to the Quarter finals.
Hernan Crespo v Wigan (EPL 2005) *: Now why did this goal make it to the top 10?? Here’s why. It was the first match of the 2005/06 season and the mighty Chelsea were playing the newcomers Wigan. For the whole 90 minutes, the *bacha team *had held Chelsea to a goal less match, another 30 seconds more and it would have been a dream debut for Wigan. However, Crespo had better plans. Coming on as a sub at the 90th minute, the scored this face saving goal in the 91st minute, thus denying Wigan the dream debut. Memorable in every sense.
Diego Forlan v Southampton (EPL 2002) and Ronaldinho (La Liga 2005) *: Two goals make on number 10. One because of the amusing goal celebration and the other because the goal scorer was applauded by the supporters of his bitter rivals.
The Forlan goal wasn’t a great goal, though it was a last minute winner for Man U. But the celebration was a memorable one. As is his routine, he took off his shirt while twirling it above his head. But when the play started, he wasn’t able to put it back on, and for a full minute, he played with the shirt in his hand till the referee stopped the play and ordered him out.
Ronaldinho, the scorer of many memorable goals. This one was against bitter rivals Real Madrid. In the 2005/06 season, Ronaldinho scored twice and took Barca to a 3-0 victory over Real at the Bernabeau. His second goal scored made even the most bitter of the Real supporters stand and applaud this genius.
Well, those were the 10 memorable goals (for me). There could have been more. Picking 10 is like finding a needle in a haystack, hours of pain, but no gain in the end.
What do you think of my list. Do give me a feedback and list your top 10 too.