To get in the mood for Qatar 2022, we’ve picked out our top 10 greatest World Cup goals of all time.
There promises to be plenty more spectacular strikes over the next month in the Middle East, as the best players on the planet battle it out for football’s biggest prize.
1. Diego Maradona, Argentina vs England (1986)
Never mind the ‘Hand of God’, Maradona’s second effort in this quarter-final – when he picked up the ball in his own half and beat the entire England defence before slotting past Peter Shilton – deserves to go down as the greatest World Cup goal of all time.
2. Carlos Alberto, Brazil vs Italy (1970)
Carlos Alberto earned his place in World Cup folklore when he finished off a superb team passing move, steaming in from the right channel to meet Pele’s perfectly weighted lay-off with a shot low into the net from a tight angle as Brazil claimed the trophy with a 4-1 final win over Italy.
3. Pele, Brazil vs Sweden (1958)
Pele announced his arrival on football’s main stage with a breathtaking strike in his nation’s 5-2 final win over hosts Sweden. After chesting the ball down and chipping over an advancing defender, he volleyed past Kalle Svensson to put Brazil 3-1 up.
4. Esteban Cambiasso, Argentina vs Serbia & Montenegro (2006)
Then Inter Milan midfielder Cambiasso applied the finishing touches to a flowing 54-second team move composed of 25 passes after Argentina dispossessed their opponents deep inside their own half during a 6-0 group-stage win.
5. James Rodriguez, Colombia vs Uruguay (2014)
After controlling the ball on his chest, Colombia’s playmaker swivelled before unleashing a dipping left-footed volley from 25 yards which crashed into the net via the underside of the crossbar.
6. Saeed Al-Owairan, Saudi Arabia vs Belgium (1994)
The Saudi Arabia midfielder made the headlines with a fantastic strike in a group match against Belgium, picking up the ball in the middle of his own half and running the length of the pitch before finding the net.
7. Michael Owen, England vs Argentina (1998)
The 18-year-old Owen scored what many regard to be England’s greatest World Cup goal in their ill-fated last-16 tie when he surged past Argentina defenders Jose Chamot and Roberto Ayala before unleashing an unstoppable angled drive beyond Carlos Roa.
8. Roberto Baggio, Italy vs Czechoslovakia (1990)
Italy were desperate for the so-called ‘Divine Ponytail’ to come up with the goods on home soil and he did not disappoint, beating two men to net a stunning individual effort against the Czechs.
9. Benjamin Pavard, France vs Argentina (2018)
Pavard’s extraordinary volley in France’s last-16 victory over Argentina was voted goal of the tournament in Russia, an arrowed strike into the top corner from the edge of the area.
10. Lothar Matthaus, West Germany vs Yugoslavia (1990)
West Germany captain Matthaus led by example in his side’s 4-1 opening win over Yugoslavia, charging goalwards from his own half before slamming a right-footed shot past Tomislav Ivkovic.
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