The 100 greatest football moments of all time

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Eric Cantona kicks back at Selhurst Park in 1995

100. Roberto Carlos’s free-kick against France

France 1-1 Brazil, Stade de Gerland, Lyon
Le Tournoi, 3 June 1997

The moment 20 minutes in to the opening game of Le Tournoi and almost 40 yards from goal, it was going to take something special to threaten Fabian Barthez with a free-kick so far out. Instead, Carlos offered something genuinely spectacular. After a huge run up, the left-back struck the ball with the outside of his foot at such an angle that it spun 10 yards away from goal before coming back in and going in off the post. Reflecting the unbelievable nature of the ball’s trajectory, a ball-boy to the right of goal ducked while Barthez remained motionless on his line before helplessly looking at the ball fly in.

They said

“Watch this.” Frank Lebouef’s reported comment to Christophe Dugarry in the French wall as Carlos shaped to shoot.

“Carlos… minimised the effect of gravity.” Dr Christophe Clanet of Ecole Polytechnique in Paris

“Apart from that one strike, I can’t really recall another great Roberto Carlos free-kick. He’s all brute force and not much else – there’s no variation, is there? Just bombas.” Rivelino

“The truth is that I just fix the position of the target in my mind, close my eyes and try to hit it as hard as possible.” Carlos himself in 2002

What it meant In the grand scheme of things, very little since this was a friendly tournament. But it did launch Roberto Carlos’s status into the stratosphere as well as creating an expectant hush any time he came within shooting distance ever again. From actual set-pieces, he rarely lived up to it. Indeed, it would be five years until he scored another for Brazil. But, as his impossible strike against Tenerife for Real Madrid in the 1997-98 Spanish league season also illustrated, he was certainly a player capable of the spectacular. At the least, Carlos’s goals showed the possibilities when you properly applied physics and geometry to football. It’s very difficult to think of a goal in the history of the game that was so outrageous and so astounding.

Similar moments that didn’t make it Rivelino v Czechoslovakia, 1970 World Cup; Roberto Carlos v Tenerife, 1997-98 La Liga season; Ezequiel Calvente’s free-kick versus Italy in the 2010 under-19 European Championships

 

99. The Butcher of Bilbao cuts down Maradona

Barcelona 4-0 Athletic Bilbao, Camp Nou
Spanish league, 24 September 1983

The moment As was becoming pretty standard in world football at the time, a 22-year-old Diego Maradona was eviscerating another defence with yet another elusive, exquisite run. Except, this time, Athletic Bilbao defender Andoni Goikoetxea had a unique response. Having already badly injured Barcelona’s Bernd Schuster two seasons previously, the centre-half leapt off the ground and, with an outstretched left foot, landed on Maradona’s ankle, bending it and leaving the playmaker crumpled in a pained heap. After what was one of the most brutal challenges ever seen in Spanish football, the Argentine was left with three pins in his leg and three months on the sideline, when he suffered a severe bout of depression.

They said

“It’s tyranny.” Argentina coach Cesar Luis Menotti

“They were lenient towards man-markers at that time… You’d be off the pitch in 15 minutes now. There was no real protection then.” Liam Brady

What it meant The injury was one of a series of incidents that ensured Maradona’s time at the Camp Nou was much less successful than it should have been. Worse, Maradona exacted a particularly unsavoury revenge when he literally kicked off a 22-man brawl as the same sides met in the Spanish cup final. Such differences ran even deeper, however, as Maradona’s national team manager Cesar Luis Menotti used the incident as a classic illustration of the philosophical debate then dominating Latin football: art against aggression; creation against destruction. Menotti felt that Javier Clemente’s abrasive team were the worst examples of the overly defensive approach “ruining” the game. Most of all, though, the treatment encapsulated the kind of treatment that creative players had to endure at that point on the game. It’s because of such injuries that the likes of Leo Messi have much more space to revel in today.

Similar moments that didn’t make it Claudio Gentile’s marking of Maradona, 1982 World Cup; Graeme Souness v Steaua Bucharest, 1987-88 European Cup; Benjamin Massing on Claudio Caniggia, 1990 World Cup; Roy Keane on Marc Overmars, 2001 World Cup qualifiers

 

98. Grobbelaar feeds the Romans spaghetti

Liverpool 1-1 Roma (4-2 on penalties), Stadio Olimpico
European Cup final, 30 May 1984

The moment The pressure was piling up for Liverpool. Having forced penalties in front of an intimidating Roman crowd in a European Cup final that was an effective away match, Steve Nicol had missed their first of the shoot-out. And, although Bruno Conti also failed soon after, Bruce Grobbelaar realised something extra was needed. So, as Italy’s 1982 hero Francesco Graziani stepped up for Roma’s fourth penalty, the goalkeeper began to indulge in an odd display of wobbly legs. Unnerved – or perhaps perplexed – the Italian clipped the ball onto the top of the bar and over. It was left to Alan Kennedy to secure the trophy for Liverpool.

They said

“I fought during the Rhodesian war of the Seventies… after this terrifying experience, my years in football were a dream.” Grobbelaar

“He never actually made a save!” Mark Lawrenson

“People said I was being disrespectful to their players, but I was just testing their concentration under pressure. I guess they failed that test.” Grobbelaar

What it meant The first of nine times that the competition was decided on penalties. That victory also completed the most consistent and sustained run by any one club in the European Cup’s history, as Liverpool won their fourth final in seven years. That it was secured by a different manager to Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan, also emphasised the status and stability of Anfield’s Boot Room philosophy. With shoot-outs themselves also relatively nascent, Grobbelaar set a template for psychological one-upmanship that would be copied by his successor Jerzy Dudek 21 years later.

Similar moments that didn’t make it Dudek v Milan, 2005

 

97. Kevin Keegan explodes

Leeds United 0-1 Newcastle United, Elland Road
Premier League, 29 April 1996

The moment Having at one point led the Premier League by 10 points, Newcastle United were only losing their way as it came to the run-in. No-one more so than manager Kevin Keegan.

After Manchester United claimed a crucial – and late – 1-0 win against a mid-table but motivated Leeds, Alex Ferguson publicly stated that the Elland Road players were letting manager Howard Wilkinson down by picking and choosing which games to perform in.

Cue an impassioned Leeds performance in their next game against Newcastle, as the deposed league leaders narrowly claimed their own 1-0 win. And, afterwards, the emotions of the occasion and the run-in had clearly got to Keegan…

They said

“When you do that with footballers like he said about Leeds, and when you do things like that like what he’s said about Stuart Pearce… I’ve kept really quiet but I’ll tell you something, he went down in my estimation when he said that. We have not resorted to that. But I’ll tell you, you can tell him now if you’re watching, we’re still fighting for this title. And he’s got to go to Middlesbrough and getting something. And, and… I’ll tell you honestly, I will love it if we beat them, love it.”

“I told him that he shouldn’t have allowed the media to become his master.” Alex Ferguson

“I have often been accused of playing mind games with my rivals and I must admit that at times there has been substance in the suggestion. But the widespread assumption that remarks I made after our home match with Leeds were designed to upset Kevin Keegan was quite wrong.” Ferguson

What it meant In the end, Manchester United didn’t actually have to go to Middlesbrough and get something despite an eventual 3-0 win. Because, possibly reflecting their manager’s nerves, Newcastle could only manage a 1-1 draw at home to a mediocre Spurs on the last day. That league win was also part of United’s second double in two years but, more importantly, properly launched the graduate team of David Beckham, Paul Scholes and the Nevilles that Alan Hansen had infamously said “can’t win anything” without reinforcements.

In the longer-term, it would initiate Ferguson’s reputation for playing and spinning the media to his own ends as well as making concrete the concept of “mind games”.

Hansen,

Similar moments that didn’t make it Paul Gascoigne’s tears 1990; Alan Hansen claims “you never win anything with kids”, 1995; Giovanni Trapattoni at Bayern 1996; Mourinho proclaims himself the Special One, 2004

 

96. Colombia batter Argentina in Buenos Aires

Argentina 0-5 Colombia, Estadio Monumental
World Cup qualifier, 5 September 1993

The moment In 1993, it’s fair to say Argentina were the ultimate standard-bearers for South American football. They had qualified for the previous two World Cup finals, won the 1991 and 1993 Copa Americas and enjoyed a 33-game unbeaten run. Although that sequence was initially ended by an improving Colombia side in Medellin, it seemed inconceivable that the Argentines would not resume normal service in the return and top the group. On television ahead of the second game, Diego Maradona was asked about the respective differences in the teams’ reputations. He put one hand, indicating Argentina, above his head. He put the other, Colombia, much lower down.

In the event, it was to be Maradona and his team who would be levelled. Having initially dominated, Argentina failed to open the scoring… and anxiety set in. Just before half-time, it turned to horror. Carlos Valderrama slipped Freddy Rincon through for a scintillating break-away goal. The Monumental was silenced.

Desperate for an equaliser after the break, Argentina only left a series of holes at the back. And Colombia daringly exploited them through two from Faustino Asprilla and another from Rincon. By 65 minutes, it was 4-0. Adolfo Valencia completed the scoring but, by then, Argetine fans were barely watching. In an unprecedented scenario, they were desperately looking for news on whether Paraguay had beaten Peru – a result that would have eliminated them. Colombia’s lethal performance arguably deserved to do so. But Argentina got lucky.

They said

“I never want to think about that match again. It was a crime against nature, a day when I wanted to dig a hole in the ground and bury myself in it.” Argentina manager Alfio Basile

“I believe Colombia will win the World Cup.” Pele

“[After that] the players thought winning the tournament would be a formality.” Medellin sports journalist Jaime Herrera

“Up until the Argentina game, we were a team on the rise. From then on, we went downhill.” Oscar Cortes

What it meant The ultimate false dawn, which culminated in the darkness of Andres Escobar’s shooting. But, in reality, Colombia were a side past their peak by the 1994 World Cup and couldn’t possibly live up to the wild public expectation after such a win. For Argentina, it ended an unparalleled sequence of success in the country’s history. They haven’t won an international trophy since.

Similar moments that didn’t make it Ecuador 1-0 Brazil, 2001; Bolivia 6-1 Argentina, 2009

 

95. Helmut Duckadam denies Barcelona

Steaua Bucharest 0-0 Barcelona (Steaua win 2-0 on penalties), Estadio Ramon Sanchez
1986 European Cup final, 7 May 1986

The moment After a tortuous 120 minutes, Barcelona stood on the brink of history. But so too did Steaua Bucharest. Because, while the Catalans had still never won the European Cup, the trophy had never gone east of Germany either.

Except, when it came to stepping up, it was only Helmut Duckadam who did so… by diving down. In an increasingly tense game of bluff, the Romanian goalkeeper guessed right for all four of Barcelona’s penalties. Most impressively, after the first three kickers had gone right, Duckadum correctly judged that Marcos would finally try and outfox him… and jumped to the left to tip the ball away.

They said

“After the first kick, it was a psychological battle… it was up to me to live up to my dreams.” Helmut Duckadam

What it meant Duckadam became the first goalkeeper to ever save four penalties in a shoot-out as well as an instant hero in Romania (much to the reported chagrin of the jealous Ceausescu regime). And, by practically handing the trophy to captain Stefan Iovan, he also ensured that Barcelona’s wait for the conquest they craved most would go on while Steaua would become the first European champions from the Eastern Bloc. With the post-Heysel ban on English clubs also creating something of a vacuum, the victory ushered in the most open era the European Cup has ever seen with Porto and PSV winning the next two titles.

Similar moments that didn’t make it Madjer’s backheel against Bayern Munich, 1987

 

94. Saipan

Irish training camp, Saipan
2002 World Cup, 23 May 2002

The moment Throughout the qualifiers for the 2002 World Cup, a fragile but forceful chemistry had seemingly propelled Ireland to the competition. Manager Mick McCarthy’s encouragement was complemented by Roy Keane’s aggression, with the Irish captain then at the absolute peak of his career. His performance had been integral to eliminating Holland while he also overshadowed Luis Figo at Lansdowne Road as Ireland equalled Portugal for a second time.

But there were much deeper differences between McCarthy and Keane than their approaches to motivation – as the midfielder made patently clear in a pre-campaign meeting with his manager in which he outlined his expectations. Clearly, Keane didn’t have any respect for McCarthy while McCarthy simply disliked Keane. And, despite an attempt at a truce, a series of incidents throughout the campaign only saw the antagonism simmer until the team landed at the sedate pre-World Cup camp on Saipan.

Finally, Keane unleashed on all of his issues in an interview with the Irish Times.

But the after-shock was to be even more devastating. At a specifically-arranged team meeting, McCarthy whipped out a copy of the interview and asked Keane to explain himself. The rest made Irish history.

They said

“You were a crap player and you are a crap manager. The only reason I have any dealings with you is that somehow you are manager of my country.” Roy Keane

“If you don’t have any respect for me, then don’t play for me.” McCarthy
“Stick it up your bollocks.” Keane

“I have sent him home.” McCarthy

Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.” Keane

“I don’t understand his rage.” Jason McAteer

What it meant More than a potential nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan, apparently. Despite the unrest in the region, a series of its newspapers lead with the Saipan story. That reflected the player’s status as captain of Manchester United at the time, as well as his unrelenting, uncompromising standards. In that, the dispute came to be discussed as a reflection of increasing player power in the game as well as the direction of Celtic Tiger Ireland. Moreover, however, the country’s national team was arguably denied the opportunity to make history. In one of the most unpredictable World Cups of all time, an Irish side led by Keane might have had realistic aspirations of the semi-finals. Instead, they went out in the second round to Spain. It would take the Irish team another decade to reach an international tournament.

Similar moments that didn’t make it Johan Cruyff disputes the Ajax captaincy, 1973

 

93. Eric Cantona’s kung-fu kick

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMm82HgjGkM

Crystal Palace 1-1 Manchester United, Selhurst Park
Premier League, 25 January 1995

The moment In a fractious, frustrating game for Manchester United, Eric Cantona eventually snaps and kicks out at Crystal Palace defender Richard Shaw. As he walks off in front of a goading crowd, clearly seething, Cantona suddenly stops and turns his glare to one particularly vocal supporter. Sensationally, the striker launches a flying kick before getting up and punching the man in the face.

They said

“I have a lot of good moments but the one I prefer is when I kicked the hooligan.” Cantona

“Off you go Cantona, it’s an early shower for you.” What Matthew Simmons claims to have said

“I should have punched him harder.” Cantona

What it meant after an entire career of infamy already, the ‘kung fu kick’ became l’enfant terrible’s most iconic moment of malevolence. It seemed to encapsulate the very worst of Cantona’s character. But it’s often forgotten that, only four days beforehand, he had illustrated the very best. Cantona had beaten title rivals Blackburn Rovers at Old Trafford with a brilliant late header. With the Frenchman then suspended for the rest of the season, United drew three of their last seven games to eventually lose the title by a point. Alex Ferguson has since said he is convinced that Cantona would have provided the key moment in at least one of those games to swing the league United’s way. Certainly, that was what he did the following season as United won an unexpected double. And it is arguable that the long suspension fired Cantona’s desire to drive a young United team to such a feat… and set the route to the treble of 1999. On a wider level, the incident polarised football. Many professionals came out in support of Cantona, saying they would have done the exact same thing. Many others absolutely castigated him. At the least, it shed light on the players’ often complicated relationship with those on the sidelines.

Similar moments that didn’t make it Hristo Stoichkov stamps on a Spanish referee’s foot, 1992

 

92. The Bosman Ruling

Union Royale Belge des Societes de Football Association ASBL v Jean-Marc Bosman
European Court of Justice, 15 December 1995

The moment After his contract with RFC Liege expired in 1990, Jean-Marc Bosman attempted to move to Dunkerque. However, since the French club did not offer the Belgian side their expected transfer fee, Liege refused to sanction in the move. Since he was no longer a first-team player, Bosman’s wages were also reduced. As such, the 26-year-old striker took his case to the European Court of Justice and sued for restraint of trade. Five years later, the court ruled that the system placed a restriction on the free movement of worked and was prohibited by the EC Treaty.

They said

“The pressure of the case was very great. The European Community did not want to have to change the system. It was morally difficult.” Bosman

“I must be Belgiam’s most famous football player, but no one knows who I am.” Bosman, 2011

“I ended a system of slavery. But it ruined my life.”

What it meant In the micro, that players could switch clubs without a transfer fee as soon as their contracts ended. In the macro, a complete alteration to the dynamics of European football. The ruling has been seen as the key incident in football’s exponential move to a massive business in which money rules all, with the dispersal of Ajax’s 1995 Champions League team the most immediate example. Another effect was a lifting of the cap on “foreign players” in continental football. For Bosman himself, it meant little. He effectively lost his career and, eventually, any money he actually made from the ruling.

Similar moments that didn’t make it The end of the retain and transfer system, 1961

 

91. “They think it’s all over…”

England 4-2 West Germany, Wembley
World Cup final, 30 July 1966

The moment With just moments of the 1966 World Cup final left and England on the verge of victory, Bobby Moore launches the ball forward. Expecting the referee to blow his whistle as it crosses the halfway line, fans start to invade the pitch. Except, instead, Geoff Hurst ends the contest in a much more emphatic way. The West Ham striker hammers the ball into the top corner with one last triumphant strike. In the commentary box, the BBC’s Kenneth Wolstenholme perfectly captures the moment.

They said

“And here comes Hurst. He’s got… some people are on the pitch. They think it’s all over. It is now.”

“1966 is not just about the players, it’s about Kenneth Wolstenholme as well.” Bobby Charlton

“I’m really very proud of it.” Wolstenholme

What it meant That Hurst had become the only player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final and, more importantly, that England had finally won their first World Cup. The phrase itself became something of a gold standard in commentary as well as a pop-culture touchstone.

Similar moments that didn’t make it “Your boys took a hell of a beating”, 1982; Victor Hugo’s commentary of Diego Maradona, 1986

 

Contents

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98 comments
imteajb
imteajb

thanks for such a important collection . its really needed for us . thanks the author .



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david529
david529

The lists are long but worthy to read.

FrankLovett
FrankLovett

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FrankLovett
FrankLovett

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mink
mink

Gerrie Muhren 1973 Real Madrid-Ajax 0-1 "keepie-uppie"

 

thefootballfan
thefootballfan

u missed bulgaria win over germany in the world cup.

thefootballfan
thefootballfan

what about did it cross the line this time for england

ApoorvGupta
ApoorvGupta

I expected to see a list of the best players in the world for the previous year, as you made one last year. I hope you find the time to make it this year too. I love going through the lists and tell all my friends about this site too.

JordanPratt1
JordanPratt1

@ConnaB Okay then I'll get started then :P

Ewan MacKenna
Ewan MacKenna

Pat Devlin asks aspiring journalist during after-match interview if he had stuck his fingers in a socket for instance?

Football Pantheon
Football Pantheon

We were thinking that would become an issue. We had to stay true to our formula.system though, and that scored low on influence, quality etc... Think about it another way... would it feel so high-profile if it was from a fourth tier from outside England? Plus, Carlisle got relegated two years later.

Alex Cooper
Alex Cooper

Presumably a typo (or two!) No. 2 Maradona, does not add up to 23!

Shakir Choudhury
Shakir Choudhury

Jimmy Glass' extra time winner to save Carlisle United from conference football......

Daniel Collins
Daniel Collins

Two big one's missing for me: -David May stealing the limelight on the podium after the '99 CL final. -Liam Coyle leaving Carles Puyol on his arse when Derry City played Barcelona at the Brandywell in 2003.

NathanBarnes
NathanBarnes

How about Arsenal's unbeaten run? Just saying..

Manicowl
Manicowl

I'm surprised the match between Red Star Belgrade and Dynamo Zagreb that we're told started the war in the Balkans isn't in there, or would that be classed in the same vein as Heysel, Hillsborough etc...?

adamrhbrown
adamrhbrown

And so, we come to this list. Well...hmmm. Difficult to say really. What makes a great moment is very much more difficult to analyse than the other categories established so far. For what it's worth, I feel that the word needs a stricter definition than what applies here. I mentioned in my email to you that I think a 'moment' should be no more than 5 mins tops, and even that might be overstating it.

Using The Times' Wish You Were There moments as a guide, I have drafted up a list of what I believe to be the 50 Most Iconic English Football TV Events, a word that I feel works better when you want to measure whole matches (or even campaigns) against isolated incidents - as well as acknowledging the influence of broadcasting. On that basis I can't disagree with much of your selection here, though I cannot fathom why such high rankings are bestowed upon each episode of Mourinho and Barca's tit-for-tat just yet.

Also, let me just clarify how surreal as an English fan it is to see Stan Collymore above "They think it's all over" and beg you to reconsider, simply because we cannot afford him to actually see that!

I also strongly disagree with ranking Bergkamp so high. Obviously the goal is of the highest quality, but how can the even more extraordinary - as well as more iconic and more influential - contributions of Cantona, Tardelli and Zidane rank so far down the list in comparison? (I'm not trying to glorify violence, by the way. Just those two examples.)

Re that goal though, I recently came across a New York Times blog post from the 2006 World Cup, reflecting on previous Argentina/Holland games. Although mostly about the 1978 final, Bergkamp's goal obviously gets a mention. Scrolling down to the comments, it amused me greatly to find the first one by an American sports fan, suitably unimpressed! (Though, to be fair, considerably more of his countrymen jumped in to disassociate themselves from such a remark.)

Last thing for now - Maradona's goals vs England should be one entry. The contrast is the real story - an apt metaphor for both the man and the wider culture of his homeland. Plus it just about squeezes into my five minute limit. (Alright, make it 10, then Liverpool's bizarre comeback can still be included as well.)

Meerkat
Meerkat

Fascinating as always. The major omissions for me would be Heysel, Munich, Superga (although these were more 'important' than 'great') and Jimmy Glass '99.I do wish there were more actual "moments" than summaries of important matches, particularly in the top 50. I'd also like to see more moments that transcend football on the pitch alone; for example, Kepto and Gun: in the era of fanzines, phone-ins, supporters' clubs and Fever Pitch, it was clear fans had a voice and influence on the game (of varying levels)...this story (that it was fictitious is irrelevant) and the reaction to it showed how football is universal and can bring anyone together.I don't see why there are 2 moments of the Mourinho vs Barca saga; can these not be distilled into one? Pick the most important and lasting, include a summary of the other? Nice read though

PadraigOHooligan
PadraigOHooligan

A great list. I of course disagree with the placing of many things. For one I would have had Van Basten's goal and the Cruyff turn higher as actual moments, but that's the point of this, a great read. I can't think of any major omissions as of yet but I will return and whinge about something that pops into my head later, you can be sure.

It puts me in mind of the Orbis World Cup 90 Collection binder which was my first introduction to a lot of the moments on the list.

footballistico
footballistico

Great site. No place to include Thuram's two goals against Croatia (world cup 1998 semi-final ) ? It's a good example of an event transcending a player.

Miguel Delaney
Miguel Delaney

It was truly brilliant. But our shortlist ran to the hundreds. Many great moments missed out. What, for example, would you take out to put it in?

jimm1y
jimm1y

great list, iv only 1 problem. you never used jimmy magee's commentary for the maradona goal!

Big Fat Ronaldo
Big Fat Ronaldo

There must be a place for this. Kanu (ex-Inter Milan, Ajax and Arsenal) extraordinary last minute equaliser versus Brazil in the 1996 Olympic semi-final.

In a crowded last minute six yard box, with his team 2-3 down, he flicks the ball up with his back to goal and chips it over the Dida, in one movement

Nigeria was 3-1 down at half time at one stage, Brazil had a clear goal disallowed that would have made it 4-1, Nigeria missed a penalty while it was 3-1, and Kanu eventually scored a sensational Golden Goal to end it in extra time, completely dumbfooling the Brazilian defence before smashing home from 18yards

All this happened before without me mentioning the sheer beauty, and incredible exhibition of skilled and attacking football from both sides.....for the Brazilian team had - Ronaldo da Lima ( one month before THE INCREDIBLE 96/97 season at Barcelona), Rivaldo, Bebeto, Roberto Carlos, the maestro Juninho in his pomp, Flavio Conceiao (Real Madrid), Ze Elias, the great centre back Aldair and Dida in goal.

This set the stage for Nigeria's equally pulsating and dramatic final against the Argentina team, which had - Hernan Crespo, Mattias Almeyda, Diego Simeone, Javier Zanetti, Roberto Ayala, Nestor Sensini, Ariel Ortega, Claudio Lopez,Jose Chamot

Nigeria went behind 5times in both semi final and final and still won the tournament

The Nigeria Brazil game also made it into World Soccer Magazine's 50 greatest matches of all time

And before this, had any team outside Europe or South America won an an International Football tournament??? I doubt

It also inspired the Nigerian national team to record momentous victories over Spain and Bulgaria at France 1998 World Cup, and the Cameroun team to retain the Olympic Football title in 2000 for Africa

It deserves an inclusion

Football Pantheon
Football Pantheon

We were thinking that would become an issue. We had to stay true to our formula.system though, and that scored low on influence, quality etc... Think about it another way... would it feel so high-profile if it was from a fourth tier from outside England? Plus, Carlisle got relegated two years later.

adamabyss
adamabyss

You had better revise this to include Henry's return goal at Arsenal tonight. Absolutely incredible, unprecedented emotional scenes.

MattHoarty
MattHoarty

er. no.67 cites Busby as using Ramsey's quote from the 66 World Cup Final. Was he that unoriginal...?

Meerkat
Meerkat

I would expect THAT goal in the 1970 World Cup Final to be number 1. A team goal of the highest quality on the highest possible stage by what is regarded the greatest ever international team at the best tournament of all time...add the impact of it being the first truly global World Cup in the sense that it was televised, which resulted in the benchmark for everything that followed. In the words of Nick Hornby: "In a way Brazil ruined it for all of us. They had revealed a kind of Platonic ideal that nobody, not even the Brazilians, would ever be able to find again...as if 1970 was a half-remembered dream they had once had of themselves...[the rest of us] couldn't even get close, and we gave up."

claretandblueblogger
claretandblueblogger

No.71 was one of the greatest battles I've seen when it comes to international football. Loads of skill and commitment on display from both sides, who played the whole game in the right spirit, won by two moments of sublime skill. Being an England fan, I can only dream of being involved in this kind of contest, unless it's friendly against Ghana...

Anonymous_69
Anonymous_69

As a recent Barcelona fan (started watching in 2007, please don't call me a bandwagon-er), I am expecting these two incidents will make the list: Chelsea 1-1 Barcelona, for the ref decisions and the amazing goals. And Barcelona 3-1 Manchester United, when Puyol let Abidal lift the trophy! Wow, that moment made me very emotional.

Another moment that might not make it, but I thought was absolutely amazing, was the 2-2 draw between Arsenal and Barcelona in London. That first half, particularly the first 20 minutes, were the greatest moments of football I have seen in the Champions League. And yet the couldn't score. And then they score in the second half. But their dominance had made them arrogant, and Arsenal took full advantage of the lack of concentration. Phenomenal game by Barca, phenomenal character from Arsenal.

PrimeTime2912
PrimeTime2912

Can't believe Iniesta's goal against Holland isn't in the top 50. It was a great goal and it won the freaking World Cup for Spain for the first time in a grueling Final in extra time. How much bigger can you get?

clearanceclarence
clearanceclarence

Excellent read, really enjoyed that. (I particularly like "...the eventual 2-0 scoreline should be sued for libel"). One quibble, though – no.89: "Which one? With four games left of the 1998-99 German season, Eintracht Frankfurt looked as good as down only win three games and cut a four-point gap to four." Eh?

josephsbcn
josephsbcn

Excellent. A tricky one to compile I must imagine as this really enters the realm of subjective. Who cares though? Top stuff, as ever. Second that the the inclusion of youtube videos adds an extra dimension to the experience.

Now, more importantly... Cork City's 95th minute winner at Shels is in the top 10, right?

matttide
matttide

Ronaldo's redemption in 2002 for me. He had the seizure in 1998, the awful knee injuries, poor form in qualifying, and came back to score 8 goals in the only World Cup team to win all 7 matches in normal time. He scored both goals in the final, and his face after the second was perfect.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp6WQBSiqI4

stefan_gla
stefan_gla

The Bosman ruling only 92nd was quite the surprise. Arguably the main contributor to the inflated markets that dominate our game today. Thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the countdown. As excellent as ever Miguel.

bendlikebender
bendlikebender

Ich freu mich! RT @fpantheon New on Football Pantheon: the 100 greatest football moments ever, part one: http:\/\/t.co\/wXqaV9QI