This incredible strike in the 58th minute put Portugal 2-0 ahead in the semi-final against Holland and had the host nation dreaming of European glory on home soil. Although they held out to beat the Dutch, they lost the Final to rank outsiders Greece in probably the biggest shock in the competition's history.
4. Poborsky Czech Republic v Portugal Euro 96 Quarter-final
Poborsky's lob against Portugal in the quarter-final of Euro 96 was his first international goal. It was innovative, technically brilliant, and stunned everbody watching. It also won the match.
3. Van Basten Holland v USSREuropean Championships 1988 Final
When Arnold Muhren lofted a high ball to the far side of the penalty area the world waited for it to drop at Van Basten's feet. Instead, the striker never let the ball touch the ground, implementing an audacious volley on goal from the tightest of angles. A stunning strike from which the USSR never recovered, sealing the Euro Title for Holland.
2. Gascoigne England v ScotlandEuro 96 Second Group match
Few players have the ingenuity to conceive a manoeuvre like this, let alone possess the ability to execute it. Perhaps the two things go hand-in-hand; the hallmark of genius. Gascoigne's greatest goal resurrected England's tournament after a disappointing start, and they went on to reach the semi-finals.
1. Panenka Czechoslovakia v West GermanyEuropean Championships1976 Final
How on earth can I choose a penalty as my pick for the greatest goal ever scored in European Championship history? Simply because of what was at stake. Panenka took a gamble that was unthinkable; one that he knew could make or break the rest of his life. The ultimate element of surprise gave Czechoslovakia their finest hour.
Here are my top five European Championship Finals in ascending order:
5. 1960: USSR 2-1 Yugoslavia (Paris)
The first ever European Championships were held in France. The official title of the competition was the "European Nations' Cup" and the inaugural event was won by the Soviet Union - their one and only major international trophy. The Final was a closely fought affair which could have gone either way. Yugoslavia drew first blood with a scrappy goal just before half-time from ace striker Milan Galic but the lead was to be short-lived. Slava Metreveli levelled matters in the 49th minute. The Soviets then had legendary goalkeeper Lev Yashin to thank as he proceeded to make a string of great saves as the match wore on and took the Final to extra-time. The superior fitness of the Soviets began to tell, and Viktor Poneldelnik's strike seven minutes from the end sealed victory.
4. 1980: West Germany 2-1 Belgium(Rome) German playmaker Bernd Schuster has an outstanding match that day in Rome to lead his country to a deserved second European Championship triumph. A spirited Belgium made a game of it and rallied in the second half to cancel out Horst Hrubesch's early goal with an equalizer from the penalty spot in the 75th minute. The Germans were not to be denied, however, and Hrubesch headed a dramatic winner with just two minutes left.
3. 1992: Denmark 2-0 Germany (Gothenburg)
This was one of the truly great football stories. Denmark hadn't even qualified for the tournament, but stepped in as last-minute replacements for war-ravaged Yugoslavia. World Champions Germany were huge favourites ahead of the Final, in spite of the fact that the Danes had seen off the defending European ChampionsHolland in a thrilling semi-final. The fairytale ending became reality when superb strikes from John Jensen and Kim Vilfort sealed a truly memorable and extraordinary triumph.
2. 2000: France 2-1 Italy (Rotterdam)
Unlike Germany in 1992, France did succeed in adding the European Championship Title to their World Title in Rotterdam in 2000 - in dramatic circumstances. For long periods of the match Italy were comfortably in control, and appeared to be cruising to victory following a Marco Delvecchio goal early in the second half. Substitute Alessandro del Piero missed two gilt-edged opportunities to extend the lead though, and the Azzurri were made to pay. A late, late equalizer from Sylvain Wiltord dealt the Italians a savage blow, and it was left to David Trezeguet to smash home a golden goal winner 13 minutes into extra-time.
1. 1976: Czechoslovakia 2-2 West Germany (Belgrade)
A thrilling Final, full of direct, attacking football and tremendous goalkeeping from both Ivo Viktor and Sepp Maier. The Czechs built up a deserved two-goal lead inside 25 minutes, but the West Germans halved the deficit almost immediately following a goal by Dieter Muller, who punished the Eastern European nation for slack defending. Both teams continued to play on the offense and several chances to score went begging at both ends. In the last attack of the match the Germans won a corner, and Bernd Holzenbein rose above everybody to head his side level. The frenetic pace continued in extra-time as both teams sought - but failed - to find a winning goal. With the score in the penalty shootout locked at 3-3, up stepped Uli Hoeness to blast his shot over the bar and leave Czechoslovakia one penalty away from winning their first major Title. What followed was an audacious demonstration of supreme confidence by Antonin Panenka, who dinked the ball over Maier in what is probably the most famous penaltyever scored.
This is very personal, and of course depends very much on age and how many World Cups we remember. I'm 38, and my 'live' World Cup memories go back to Spain in 1982. Three of my 'abiding images' come from these live memories, the other two are pre-82 and find their place in my list based on what I have seen and read myself, and heard from others. More difficult than deciding on what my top five memories were was deciding on the order in which to place them, as each in its own unique way says so much about the World Cup, and the ways that the drama that unfolds on the field of play reflects the scope of experience of human life. A tough task. Here's mine anyway, in ascending order.
5. Zidane's headbutt - 2006
The World Cup Final of 2006 between France and Italy was finally poised at 1-1 and extra-time was being played. The French, inspired by Zinedine Zidane, were starting to impose some authority on the game and boss the midfield. Then an unthinkable occurence in the 110th minute. Zidane, running back up field, suddenly turned back on himself to viciously headbutt Italian defender Marco Materazzi in the chest. The two players had been the two goalscorers, and a verbal exchange had taken place between them to prompt Zidane's extraordinary attack. A red card is shown, and France have lost their talisman at the most crucial of moments. The image of Zidane leaving the greatest football stage and disconsolately walking past the trophy, taking the hopes of a nation with him, is pure pathos.
4. Hurst's crossbar goal - 1966
England boss Al Ramsey had made the decision to play Geoff Hurst up front in the World Cup Final against West Germany owing to the questionable fitness of first-choice striker Jimmy Greaves. The rest is history. Hurst scored a hat-trick, but his crucial second goal in the eleventh minute of the first period of extra-time remains one of the most controversial moments in World Cup history. His shot hit the underside of the crossbar and appeared to bounce down on the line. The incident led to the referee consulting with his linesman, and to the dismay of the Germans the goal was given. Fourty four years later, and the reality is that the same thing could happen again this summer - technology still has no place in football.
3. Maradona's "Hand of God" and "Goal of the Century" - 1986
Surely the ultimate juxtaposition of football irony. Six minutes into the second-half of Argentina's quarter-final against England, Diego Maradona clearly punches the ball over Peter Shilton's head into the net with his left hand. Incredibly, the officials fail to spot the misdemeanour and the 'goal' stands. Maradona would later make his infamous and ambiguous claim that the the goal was scored by the "Hand of God". Four minutes later, Maradona picks up the ball in his own half and weaves his way up-field, leaving player after player in his wake to score what would later be voted the best goal of the century in a FIFA poll. One moment of cheating and another of pure genius by the same player, within a four-minute spell of World Cup madness, were enough to dump England out and send Argentina marching on towards their destiny with glory.
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2. Tardelli's celebration - 1982
Marco Tardelli scored the second Italian goal against West Germany in the 1982 World Cup Final in Madrid. It was the goal that effectively sealed triumph for his country as it gave Italy a 2-0 lead against a tired German side. After crashing his shot past Schumacher from the edge of the area he turned with a trance-like expression, shaking fists and mounting tears and set off on a run to the Italian bench. Such moments are the priviledge of so very few players, and Tardelli's show of passion will always be one of those lasting World Cup memories. Fabian Grosso's celebration four years ago after scoring in the last minute against Germany in the semi-final was strikingly similar.
1. Alberto's goal - 1970
My favourite team goal ever, and many will share the view. It was the ease with which the Brazilians stroked the ball around, there was a laziness to it that was arrogant, a self-belief in a collective ability that belonged to another world. No team in history could have lived with Brazil that day, the occasion was the WorldCup Final of 1970, and Italy were the opponents who were crushed 4-1 in Mexico City. Carlos Alberto's goal was the last of the four, and the one that so gloriously epitomized everything about the Brazil team of the 1970 World Cup.
In the 18 World Cups that have taken place, the side that has won the tournament has also been the top scorers in that tournament on eight occasions. And as you will see from the following list, the top three goalscoring nations (by tournament) did NOT win the World Cup. It just goes to show that it's not ALL about goals. In ascending order, then, the top five highest scoring nations by tournament...
5= Argentina 1930 / Brazil 2002 (18 goals)
Argentina lost the first ever World Cup Final to Uruguay in 1930, scoring two in the Final to add to the 10 they had scored in the group stages and the six they put past the USA in the semi-final. Brazil in 2002 were one of the eight teams to have top scored in the tournament and won it. 11 goals came in their three group games; in the knock-out stages Brazil scored twice in the second round, the quarter-final and the Final, whilst a single goal was enough to win them the semi-final.
4. Brazil 1970 (19 goals)
Brazil scored 'only' eight goals in the group stages, a surprising stat given that they ended the tournament with 19, meaning that in the more testing ground of the knock-out stages they notched a further 11; four against Peru in the quarters, three against Uruguay in the semis and four more in the magnificent Final against Italy. They became the first nation that year to win the World Cup and top score at the tournament for a second time - the first time they had achieved this was in 1962.
3. Brazil 1950 (22 goals)
13 of the 22 goals came in the Final Group phase in which four teams all played each other. As host nation Brazil were favourites, and winning their first World Cup seemed inevitable after they thrashed Sweden and Spain 7-1 and 6-1 respectively, leaving them only needing to draw against Uruguay in the last match to take the trophy. They led 1-0 in front of a delirious crowd of nearly 200,000 at the Maracana, but were caught out by two goals in the last quarter of the match as Uruguay claimed a second Title.
2. France 1958 (23 goals)
The amazing thing about this tally of goals is that it was achieved in just six matches - two of which the French lost! Seven against Paraguay in the first group match was followed by defeat to Yugoslavia and then victory over Scotland. Northern Ireland were put to the sword in the quarter-final before Brazil ended French hopes of winning the tournament with a 5-2 win in the last four. The third/fourth place play-off match between the losing semi-finalists gave France the chance to add a further six goals, and striker Just Fontaine ended the tournament with 13 goals.
1. Hungary 1954 (27 goals)
The Germans won't agree, but this was a tournament that Hungary should have won.Their 27 goals were scored in just five games; 17 of them came in their two group games (9-0 against South Korea and 8-3 against West Germany). Brazil and Uruguay were both duly dispatched by a 4-2 scoreline in the quarter-final and the semi-final, and the 're-match' with Germany saw Hungary score two more within the first eight minutes. There were no more goals to come however, from the Magical Magyars, and the Germans found three of their own to complete an extraordinary comeback.
Two Brazilians, two Germans - no surprises there. The two most successful nations in the history of the World Cup have produced four of the five all-time top scorers. But what is the nationality of the player third in the list? And who tied for fifth place with the German striker who also managed his country to a third-placed finish four years ago on home soil?
1. RONALDO (Brazil, 15 goals)
Ronaldo scored four goals at France 1998 (including one penalty), top-scored in 2002 with eight goals as Brazil won their fifth World Cup (including both goals in the 2-0 win against Germany in the Final) and added three more at Germany 2006. When he scored Brazil's opening goal in the fifth minute of their second round clash with Ghana, he overtook Gerd Muller's record to become the leading World Cup marksman of all time. Rumours of him returning to the Brazilian squad for South Africa 2010 to try and add to his record tally are surely wide of the mark.
2. GERD MULLER (Germany, 14 goals)
Muller's international goals record makes sensational reading: 62 appearance for his country, and 68 goals. He notched up 10 goals at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, which included one penalty and two hat-tricks in the group stages. In 1974 in Germany Muller scored another four goals, including the winning goal against Holland in the Final to secure Germany's second World Cup triumph.
3. JUST FONTAINE (France, 13 goals)
The truly extraordinary thing about Just Fontaine is that his 13 goals were all scored at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden. He scored six times in the groups stages, two in the quarter-final and one in the semi-final defeat against Brazil. Leaving the best to last, he then added a further four in the third place match with Germany to create a record for goals in one World Cup tournament which will surely never be broken.
4. PELE (Brazil, 12 goals)
Pele's World Cup goals haul was spread over the four tournaments between 1958 and 1970. In 1958 in Sweden he scored six, setting a host of records in the process. Brazil won the World Cup that year for the first time, and Pele's goal in the quarter-final win over Wales made him the youngest player ever to score in the finals. In the semi-final he became the youngest ever player to score a hat-trick at the World Cup in the 5-2 battering of France. And a goal in the Final made him the youngest player to find the net in a World Cup Final. All three records stand to this day. In 1962 he scored in Brazil's opening group match against Mexico but was injured in the next game and missed the rest of the tournament. Brazil successfully defended their title, and had Pele played throughout it's quite conceivable that his name would be at the top of this list instead of Ronaldo. He added another goal in the 1966 tournament in England, before hitting four in 1970 as Brazil claimed the trophy yet again.
5= JURGEN KLINSMANN (Germany, 11 goals)
The German maestro was an integral member of West Germany's World Cup winning side of 1990, scoring three times, including a vital goal in the second-round win against European neighbours and historical rivals Holland. Five goals at USA 94 was an impressive haul given that the Germans went out in the quarter-finals to Bulgaria, and at France 98, in his last World Cup as a player, Klinsmann added three more goals to take his total to 11 and place him fifth in the list of all-time World Cup goalscorers.
5= SANDOR KOCSIS (Hungary, 11 goals)
A prolific goalscorer from Hungary's golden era. Like Just Fontaine, Kocsis netted all of his 11 goals in one tournament - the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland, which was the only tournament he played in. The 'Magical Magyars' won their two group games 9-0 and 8-3 respectively, with Kocsis scoring seven times in the two matches. He added two more in both the quarter-final and semi-final wins over Brazil and Uruguay. His average of 2.2 goals per game in the tournament remains a record.
The beautiful thing about the World Cup is its unpredictable nature. David v Goliath has been re-enacted many times on the field of play of the world's greatest football tournament. Here's my pick of the bunch...
5. Northern Ireland v Spain (1982)
The Irish had drawn their opening two group games and now faced the host nation needing a highly unlikely victory to progress. They were so sure their World Cup was over that they had already booked their flight home for the following day, but a Gerry Armstrong strike following a goalkeeping blunder just after half-time put the Irish on course for the second round. Spain could not muster a recovery, even when they found themselves playing ten men for the last 30 minutes following Mal Donaghy's dismissal, and the Irish ended the night as one of the most unfancied group winners in World Cup history.
4. Argentina v Cameroon (1990)
The opening game of Italia 90; an Argentina side that was unrecognizable from the superb team that had triumphed in Mexico four years earlier, against the up-and-coming Cameroons who were to take the tournament by storm. In spite of ending the match with just nine players, Cameroon tooks the spoils thanks to an Oman-Biyik goal midway through the second half, thus creating the biggest shock ever in an opening match.
3. Algeria v West Germany (1982)
The Germans were the 3-1 pre-tournament favourites whilst Algeria - playing in their first World Cup - were 1000/1 outsiders. The two clashed in the opening group match in Gijon, with a routine German victory fully expected. In the warmth of a late Spanish afternoon the unthinkable happened. Rabah Madjer and Lakhdar Belloumi were the goalscorers for the African minnows, whose debut match in the World Cup produced a truly outstanding result.
2. North Korea v Italy (1966)
Although the Koreans were something of an unknown quantity, they were not expected to be a match for the experienced and talented Italians. The Asian side had lost their first group game 3-0 against the Soviet Union and only snatched a late equalizer against Chile, leaving them needing to beat the mightly Azurri to stay in the tournament. But the miracle occured; a 42nd minute goal from Park Doo-Ik at Ayrsome Park, Middlesborough, was enough to send Italy home and NorthKorea through to a quarter-final clash with Portugal.
1. USA v England (1950)
My pick for the biggest shock in the history of the World Cup. In their seven previous international matches leading up to the clash with England the USA had conceded a total of 45 goals and scored just two. When the 1-0 scoreline came through it was assumed to be a misprint in the newspaper that should have read 10-1 the other way. Joe Gaetjens was the hero that day in Belo Horizonte in the east of Brazil, heading the winning goal in the 38th minute to humble England, who crashed out three days later following defeat to Spain in Rio de Janeiro.
Continuing the Trivia theme of World Cup Finals, here are the best five in ascending order…
5... 1986 Argentina 3-2 Germany
With Argentine legend Diego Maradona in the form of his life and pioneering his country's charge towards World Cup glory, and with the final being played in the midday heat of Mexico City on a dreadful pitch, the odds seemed stacked against the Germans from the start. By the time the South Americans had established a comfortable 2-0 lead early in the second half it seemed all over. But one of the golden rules of international football is that Germany are at their most dangerous when you've written them off. Two goals from two corners late in the game brought the Germans level, before the watching world was reminded of another old football adage - you're at your most vulnerable when you've just scored. A minute after Rudi Voller's equalizer, Maradona steered one more defence-splitting pass through to Jorge Burruchaga to notch a late winner and seal the World Cup.
4... 1958 Brazil 5-2 Sweden
For many, Pele is the best footballer of all time, and the two goals he scored in the 1958 Final against Sweden heralded his arrival on the world stage. His second was a superb solo effort that demonstrated his truly rare talent - an innovative football brain combined with the skill to execute. Brazil’s victory against the host nation was expected, but it was achieved in great style with the South American giants coming from a goal down to establish a 4-1 lead with the flamboyant attacking football that has become their trademark. Vava also scored twice in the final, and the disappointment of losing out on home soil in 1950 – a tournament they had been fully expected to win - was forgotten as Brazil landed their first World Cup title. 3... 1966 England 4-2 Germany
A pulsating game marked by high drama, controversy and history. The curse of scoring first in the World Cup Final struck again as the Germans took the lead after 12 minutes only to find themselves 2-1 behind with a minute to go. In the aftermath of a German free kick from outside the box Wolfgang Weber steered the ball home to force extra time. Geoff Hurst – only in the team because of an injury earlier in the tournament to first choice striker Jimmy Greaves - had scored England’s equalizer in the first half of normal time but had done little else. Eleven minutes into extra-time a shot by Hurst bounced down off the underside of the crossbar and landed either on or over the line. The goal was given following the referee’s consultation with his linesman and Hurst went on to add a fourth goal in the last minute, thus creating history as the only player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup Final.
2... 1954 Germany 3-2 Hungary
Not the most popular result as football purists wanted to see this terrific Hungarian side conquer the world. Not many gave Germany a prayer before the final; the sides had met in the group stages and Hungary had won 8-3. When the “magical Magyars” stormed into a 2-0 lead after only after eight minutes another thrashing appeared to be on the cards. Heavy rain was falling though, and the Germans appeared better suited to the adverse conditions as they quickly adapted and had levelled the match by the 18th minute with goals from Max Morlock and Helmut Rahn. Four goals in the first eighteen minutes of any professional football match is highly dramatic – and this was the World Cup Final. In a thrilling second half the Hungarians strove to regain the lead and Germany had goalkeeper Toni Turek to thank for several fine saves. In the 84th minute and against the run of play Rahn scored a third goal for Germany, and although Hungary’s star player Puskas had the ball in the net in the dying moments it was ruled out for offside, and Germany won the World Cup for the first time.
1... 1970 Brazil 4-1 Italy
The most memorable final of all for the neutral. The classic confrontation of Italian defence against Brazilian flair and the beautiful game won hands down. Brazil destroyed Italy, showing flashes of some of the finest football ever played. With the scores level at 1-1 at half-time, the Samba Stars turned on the style in the Azteca Stadium and unravelled the tightly woven Italian defence with a dazzling display. The culmination was the magnificent fourth goal, a move that involved eight members of the Brazilian team, each seeming to give an exhibition of personal skill before moving the ball on. Memories of Pele’s nonchalant final pass out to Carlos Alberto on the right side of the penalty area will live forever and a day. Alberto rounded off the flawless move with the perfect finish to complete what, in the view of many, is the greatest goal ever scored. Brazil had their hands on the World Cup for a third time, and as a result were given the Jules Rimet trophy for keeps. Few would argue that this triumphant Brazilian team was the best in the history of football.
