https://youtu.be/Kgu0bH-bods
Or
https://youtu.be/B17Fydnzn6o
Both for different reasons
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Reading through the GOAT thread a few posters reference brilliant individual goals they've witnessed so I was wondering which is the best you've seen and why?
For me it was the first match I ever saw Reading play back in March 1976. I'd only moved to the area in the January of 76 and became pals with a lad called Paul who attended the same secondary school that I'd just joined. His dad had a spare pair of tickets for the Tranmere game and asked if we'd like to go and watch with him. Paul was a regular at Elm Park with his dad so I tagged along with them and witnessed a goal I've never seen bettered. We were in the main stand, Reading were already 2-0 up and the ball was launched high towards Robin Friday who was on the corner of the penalty box, he jumped up and took the ball on his chest, span around through 180 degrees whilst airborne, still with the ball on his chest and dropped it onto his left foot and volleyed it into the top corner of the net. It was an absolutely phenomenal goal and nobody could believe their eyes, even the ref was applauding it. Friday ran behind the goal to celebrate, saw a policeman applauding and promptly kissed him, although I have to say I didn't see that as I was going nuts in the stands! I did read about it in the local papers afterwards and there was also a comment from the ref that day (Clive Thomas) who said he'd refereed at World Cup matches, seen the likes of Best, Pele and Cruyff score but that goal from Friday he rated as the best he'd ever seen. After the match he asked Friday what on earth was he doing playing at that level (the old Div4) and Friday said "You ought to comedown more often, I score 'em like that all the time!".
https://youtu.be/Kgu0bH-bods
Or
https://youtu.be/B17Fydnzn6o
Both for different reasons
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It could have been Di Canio's volley against Wimbledon but it's this one...
Boxing Day 2001 from memory... Di Canio chips a corner out to the edge of the box, Joe Cole knocks it up with his first touch and crosses to other side of the box with his second and then Trevor Sinclair overheads it perfectly. Ball doesn't touch the floor between corner and goal.
This one always blew my mind, a 30 yard inch-perfect cross and a beautiful header leaving the keeper with no chance. Andy Myers for Liverpool against Chelsea in 1996. 10 mins 40 secs into the video:
https://youtu.be/xP5AR7-0CTQ
This is a personal favourite though, I've dreamt of this goal:
https://youtu.be/F860wWo9wUo
And then, of course, there is that time the Liberian President had a kick-around with some pals:
https://youtu.be/rwOLi3J4Y78
I’m not sure I could pick a single winner but I’d make a (not) short list including
Bales copa del Rey final goal when he ran off the pitch
Bales CL final overhead
Rooney’s Manchester derby overhead
Van bastens volley against Russia
Bergkamp drag back v Argentina
Henry’s flick-turn-shot
Gazza keep up goal v Scotland
Messi has about 20 solo efforts
Tony Yeboah
Vincent Kompany winner which pretty much secured the title
Georgie Hagi scored a goal in Italy from a kick off back pass which was pretty awesome.
And the slickest penalty worth a google is Lee Trundle - it’s awesome!
Matt Lowton, Villa v Stoke.
"A man of little significance"
Off the top of my head, and with the caveat that I didn't witness them as they happened.
Yeboah v.s Wimbledon:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLOVS8iYVTg (I'm surprised the bar didn't break in two!)
Totti v.s Inter:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7MI9nmDhJk (He has to ride out some mean tackles here)
Back of the net!!
https://www.facebook.com/AllyBeggOff...0948375152426/
For me being a Luton town fan it was paul Walsh in the 1980s , over head kick fired into the net the first time I had been to a game and seen a goal like that amazing kid
The Gazza 1996 Scotland goal for me - his awareness of the opposition and use of both feet was rather special.
My personal favourite, not his best goal ever, but for the occasion and the opposition
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7GxStFvSPA
(Is the thread meant to be confined to goals you saw at the ground - as the first post implied - or just saw?)
Maradona vs England, not the hand of god, the other one in the same game where he dribbled it from the halfway line past most of Englands players.
Was at the Emirates for Giroud's 'Scorpion' kick vs Palace and also Wilshere's 'move of the century' goal vs Norwich. Can't think of many PL goals that would beat either
Sticking to ones I've seen, Rocastle's against United is one that I remember for its quality, though I wasn't happy about it at the time, being a United fan.
https://youtu.be/cOGVJiUjISw
Last edited by Bondurant; 27th November 2020 at 17:07.
Daveed Ginola, excuse the music
Has to be the one at 45secs. It certainly impressed Alan
Giggs vs Arsenal. I could not believe it. Down to 10 men and under siege and suddenly out of no where he did that. The celebration was equal to the goal hahaha
Last edited by awright101; 27th November 2020 at 17:59.
I was at Wembley in 96 right by the corner flag for Eng v Scot and gazzas goal is probably the best goal I’ve actually seen
So difficult to choose just one. All are games I saw live.
Hazard solo goal v Arsenal 2017
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIWqvf60NhM
Zola v Everton 2003
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10154300081687259
Ronaldhino's goal against us 2005
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fygu4KrxJqc
Many will be familiar with this but perhaps not the story behind it. Zola had been to visit a terminally-ill boy in hospital a few days beforehand and the boy asked Zola to score a goal for him in the next match. Zola said he would make sure it was a special one and it surely was - sadly, the boy had died the day before and never got to see it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-s-WJxeH6Uo
Our current gaffer against Barca at the Camp Nou
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zP_5QhKnt1k
And of course, technically brilliant it wasn't, being a penalty but for what it meant at the time.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhumwZ66vz4
Last edited by BSB; 27th November 2020 at 18:09.
Frank Worthington, Bolton v Ipswich, 1979.
Even the referee is applauding it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0z_arXZ8nM
scooter
Was anyone lucky enough to witness this as it happened?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crKwlbwvr88
Probably not the best goal but certainly the one that sticks out in my mind.
Nothing beats the fastest ever double-helping of Karma that this goal served up...
https://youtu.be/6TnKvlQ2h7s
Poor little Anthony
Not just because I'm a Geordie but it's one goal that always comes to mind whenever this topic comes up. Sent from my SM-N960F using TZ-UK mobile app
James McFadden’s 35 yarder against France, a thing of beauty.
Last edited by numberjack; 27th November 2020 at 20:47.
https://youtu.be/6qm88aX3H9k
https://youtu.be/lPzolykykUw
Wembley 2014.
Two great goals but from different perspectives.
Toures was simply perfectly executed. He knew what he wanted to do and I doubt there are many in the game that could have done it .
Nasri s was a hit n hope that you knew was on its way in from the moment it left his boot .
Special mentions to Peter Crouch at Stoke v us and Andros Townsend for Palace a couple of seasons back . Both absolute worldies.
https://youtu.be/uY_wQPiuwaQ
Then , there was this in the 81 FA Cup final replay . Often criminally overlooked by Ricardo Villas miles offside goal where he slipped and stumbled past City’s defence who had definitely heard a phantom whistle by the referee and had stopped playing .
Gareth Bales overhead kick in the final.
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Limited to goals actually witnessed at the ground, this one from Ibrahimovic is probably my pick: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIrkMXZ55dg
I saw that one first hand too and it broke my heart. Steve McKenzie’s goal in that same game is criminally overlooked.
As a match going blue of almost 53 years, the best goal I have seen live was Sergio’s 93.20. Not the best for skill but for what it meant. Nobody that was there will ever hear or see anything like what happened afterwards. It was surreal..... the emotion was something else.
I was talking about emotion at games last week and the most emotional that I have seen any football crowd, and was privelliged to be a part of it, was on Boxing Day 1977 against Newcastle. Colin Bell returned from injury, after a serious knee problem caused by a tackle from Martin Buchan that almost cost Colin his leg. I was at the game that this happened as well. After years out and trying to fight back to fitness, he came on as a substitute and there were grown men crying around me. The noise and emotion were something else. Anyone that had the privilege of seeing Colin play will know why. He was Sadly never the same player. What a man and what a player. Colin has just got out of hospital after a recent 10 week stay and I know all blues are wishing him well....
Last edited by Bluemoon7; 28th November 2020 at 11:35.
It's a great read. Friday was a legend amongst Reading supporters and even though I only watched him play home games for the rest of that season he's undoubtably the most naturally gifted player I've ever seen. Charlie Hurley bought him from Hayes thinking he could tame his wild habits but he couldn't of course, off the field he partied harder than Best, Read, O'Tool et al. I was only 15 when I saw him play in that game against Tranmere but older supporters used tell stories of him out and about in the local pubs around town and the mayhem he caused. He was sold to Cardiff at the end of 1976 because Hurley was fed up with his antics.
Reading and Cardiff supporters have a great rivalry but the one thing they could agree on was Friday was the best player they'd ever seen. He gave up football aged 25 and was dead at 38 of a heroin overdose. I doubt he ever had any regrets, my favourite quote from him was when Maurice Evans (the former Reading player and manager) said to him that if he'd only knuckle down and change his ways he could play for England, Friday responded with "I'm half your age and I've lived twice your life"
Above is Friday taunting Lutons goalie Milija Aleksic when he played for Cardiff.
There's an interesting potted history of Friday here, but the book is definitely worth a read, it's actually co-written by huge footballing nut Paul McGuigan who also happened to be a founding member of Oasis and their bassist.
It's available on Kindle.
Best goal I’ve ever seen in person was Phillipe Alberts chip to round off our 5-0 win over Man Utd in 1996. Not the most amazing goal ever, but it’s all about the context. Now this was back in the days when Man Utd losing 5-0 was unheard of. And we had just thrown away the title to them the season before (including Keegans famous meltdown on sky), so this result was doubly satisfying.
I didn’t have season ticket at the time as they were like gold dust, but by chance my mate who had one couldn’t attend, so I got his ticket. We absolutely battered them, then just when it seemed like the match was petering out, Albert who was a centre back, picked the ball up, strode forward looking like he was gonna smash it, then floated the most delicate chip over Schmeichel. Ball seemed to hang in the air for about 30secs and time kinda stood still - its the most perfect chip I think I’ve ever seen. Just topped off a bloody amazing result.
https://www.premierleague.com/video/...AYLIST=1572346
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For those that have never heard of Robin Friday - make yourself a cuppa, stick an elastic band around your head (your Jaw will drop) and have a read through https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Friday
A bit of an Arsenal theme
Ian Wright two great goals against Everton and that 30 yard chip against Swindon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsBxSIHw0x4
Dennis Bergkamp Southampton, Leicester, Tottenham, Newcastle and Argentina.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvREhmTptSc
Thierry Henry too many!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_aJd7nLj1U
Kanu 3rd goal against Chelsea, Back heel flick against Middlesborough and cheeky step over against Deportivo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AV-8-Fvbryg
I’m probably biased but for me it’s got to be Archie Gemmill’s goal against Holland at the 1978 World Cup in Argentina.
Second both points above.
Was also there on Boxing Day, just remember the noise as he came out for the 2nd half.
One goal that springs to mind for me is Alan Kernaghan. Not just because it was such a good goal but of who scored it. Was never the most popular with the City fans, and everyone said dont shoot when he did, similar to Vinny against Leicester a couple of years back
https://twitter.com/i/status/877053709997531136
Malc