Top 5...

Goals

In my humble but somewhat expert (self-declared [not so humble, really]) opinion. A simple topic for simple minds. Enjoy...

5. Eric Cantona, Manchester United vs Sunderland, circa-1997. Probably the finest chip of memory. It's one of those Cantona moments which was just never in doubt from the moment he took off on that barnstorming run. McClair deserves more credit for the perfectly-weighted return ball. The celebration makes it all that more special.



4. Diego Maradona, Argentina 2-1 England, 1986. Probably controversially only at number four, but I've never liked the man, and don't to this day. But this is quite simply the best solo goal of all time (until a goal later on in this article...). It'd be higher in the chart had it not been for an even more famous goal that he scored not 5 minutes earlier...




n.b. It can't be seen on this clip, but this goal should not have been allowed to due a late challenge on Hoddle by Hector Enrique, who would then slide the ball to Maradona for him to race away.

3. Roberto Carlos, Real Madrid vs someone, either 1996 or 1997 because they're wearing the third worst kit of all time. I love this goal, but it's far from Carlos' most famous effort (see vs England 1997, or vs Jamaica circa 2004/5), but it's his best. At first, it appears he's chasing a lost cause, before he unleashes what seems a hopeless attempt at squaring it, only to bend it over the keeper and into the far top corner. All of this at about 100mph! Also, watch the couple of seconds delay in the fans reacting behind the goal - that's how much it was something from nothing.




2. Ryan Giggs, Arsenal 1-2 Manchester United, Villa Park, 1999. The defining moment from a game that had everything - Beckham puts United 1-0 up, only for Bergkamp to level. Anelka then has one ruled out, and then Roy Keane to be sent off on the hour, making it Arsenal's to lose. In injury time, Phil Neville scythes down the Romford Pele Ray Parlour, gifting Arsenal the tie and shattering United's treble dreams. Bergkamp steps up, and Schmeichel saves, taking the ten men of United into extra time where surely Arsenal's dominance would pay off. The first 15 minutes is stalemate, then four minutes into the second half of extra time, the ever-reliable Patrick Vieira gives Giggs possession on the half way line. The threat seems minimal - Giggs is the furthest man forward as United backs are against the wall, and the entire famous Arsenal backline stood before him. Yorke gives Giggs an optional, but the Welsh wizard skins Vieira (no mean feat), then leaves that famous back four in his wake before skipping over Tony Adams' despairing lunge before rifling past Seaman into the roof of the net. Mesmerising.



1. Carlos Alberto, Brazil 4-1 Italy, 1970. Brazil are leading 3-1, when in the 86th minute, a simply glorious move is capped perfectly by Carlos Alberto, a full-back no less. Everything about this goal is simply perfect. From the quick passes between defenders, to Clodoaldo's (a centre-back!) dance past four Italians in his own half, to the ball to Gerson, his inch-perfect ball down the left to the mercurial Jairzinho, who waltzes past a famous defence like they were eight year olds before laying off to the great Pele, who times and weights his through ball to absolute perfection, for the marauding Carlos Alberto to smash past a hapless Albertosi. All of that on the biggest stage of them all. Simply awe-inspiring. Enjoy...



P.S. I also wanted to Ronaldo's second against Arsenal in last season Champions League semi-final second leg in too for shear pace and intensity on the counter-attack, but a United-supporting child of the 90s just can't omit Eric...

Dan.