Naming the Top 5 world cup soccer goals of all time is no easy task, everyone you ask will have a different take on their top 5 and which order to put them in, and of course there are no right or wrong answers. For this reason I am not even going to attempt to list the top 5 world cup soccer goals (in my opinion) in any specific order, just that they are the top 5 goals, based on overall soccer skills and not on any one specific element.
Let us start with one of the most famous goals of all time. I am talking about Diego Maradona’s second goal for Argentina that helped knock England out of Mexico ’86. Few who saw it will forget how he starts his solo run from within his own half, goes all the way up the right flank, beautifully passing 4 English defenders before cleaning finishing with a strike straight to the back of the net. Even the English fans had to admit that it was a fantastic goal even after the infamous “hand of god” incident about 10 minutes earlier.
Another goal of similar class which I put in my top 5, is Roberto Baggio’s goal for Italy against Czechoslovakia during the 1990 competition in Italy. Again he starts his run from within his own half with a quick one-two pass, then continues his run round 3 defenders and executes a text book finish to find the back of the net.
My next entry into the top 5 is for sheer team work, beautiful passing and build up, rather than individual skill like our previous two goals. It is Carlos Alberto that scores the goal for Brazil in the 1970 world cup match against Italy. Starting just outside their own penalty box Brazil pass the ball beautifully around the pitch, all the players using their flare and skill like a well oiled machine, in all there are 9 perfect passes, finishing with the legendary Pele knocking the ball out to the right for Carlos to bury it into the bottom left of the net with his first touch, a truly beautiful piece of team work.
Next is an amazing soccer goal by Dennis Bergkamp for Holland against Argentina in the 1998 world cup finals. Bergkamp manages to control the ball beautifully from an extremely long pass, all the way back from just outside the Dutch penalty box. The pass finds Bergkamp in Argentina’s penalty area, he controls the ball beautifully and with one touch turns the defender and then strikes to find the back of the net.
Finally we have a goal for England against Argentina, by the young Michael Owen (only 18 years old at the time) again in the 1998 finals. The goal starts with a clearance from England’s own goal mouth up to Beckham at the half way line. He quickly turns and passes to find Owen just inside the Argentine half. Owen then makes a solo run, with 3 defenders between him and the goal, but his sheer pace and skill out class them and he finds the top left corner with a strike from just inside the penalty box.
Those are my top 5 world cup goals, I am sure you will have some of your own entries, but I hope you cannot deny they are all beautiful goals.
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Topics: Soccer