04/16/24
March 15, 2010
The Top 50 world Cup Goals: The Times lists its best ever World Cup Goals, (annoyingly spread over 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 pages).
Click the links to watch the goals.
posted by Mr Bismarck to soccer at 12:05 PM - 11 comments
I also had the Bergkamp goal as my number 1.
posted by trox at 12:44 PM on March 15, 2010
I remember seeing someone wearing a t-shirt with a pitch diagram of a goal being scored, and I knew it was no. 2 after about five seconds of looking.
If you're English, you're are allowed to demur on no. 1.
posted by etagloh at 04:51 PM on March 15, 2010
The Carlos Alberto goal still appears in my dreams.
posted by owlhouse at 07:33 PM on March 15, 2010
On a minor point, I think they have the wrong goal at Number 19.
They linked to this Maradona goal against Belgium in 1986.
But I think they really meant this one in the same Semi Final. He beats 4 defenders and the keeper.
posted by owlhouse at 07:40 PM on March 15, 2010
Thank you, Mr. Bismarck!!
posted by StarFucker at 08:27 PM on March 15, 2010
Number 10! I saw it! I was there!
A year or so later I was working in a plastics factory in Israel with a dozen Palestinians from the next village over, and when I told them I had seen Saeed Owairan burn Belgium to its knees, I was invited as an honored guest to their houses to retell, in play-by-play and pantomime, every barely controlled juke and dribble on the way to the greatest goal in the history of Arab soccer. Old men wept. Children giggled. I ate killer sweets and high-fived my co-workers. I've never before or since had anyone outside of my family be so proud to know me.
Saeed Owairan, you are the greatest meal-ticket I have ever known; peace and blessings be upon you.
posted by Hugh Janus at 08:47 PM on March 15, 2010
The Carlos Alberto goal still appears in my dreams.
Oh yes. But from which side of the pitch do you see it? The memory burned into my head as I grew up shows him taking his shot from the far side; the Times poster, like this clip, puts him at the near side. I didn't see the "near side" version until the YouTube era, and the camera was definitely on the Brazil left in the second half for the BBC broadcast, so I wonder if it was shot on film (like the colour recording of 1966) or if different broadcasters had different cameras set up.
posted by etagloh at 11:52 PM on March 15, 2010
Same here, etagloh. My memories have it from the other side, too.
posted by owlhouse at 12:35 AM on March 16, 2010
Here are ESPN Soccernet's lists of the top 22 -- First XI and Second XI World Cup finals goals.
Lots of overlap in the lists, but some unique entries for the ESPN Soccernet list as well. Interesting that both lists put Bergkamp's goal at about the same spot (7 for the Times, 8 for Soccernet). The ESPN list also provides a bit more detail regarding the various goals. Unfortunately, the ESPN list does not include YouTube links; here's a link to no. 15 on the ESPN list (which I do not believe is on the Times list) -- Eder (Brazil), Brazil v. USSR 1982.
Incidentally, I have long thought that YouTube's greatest contribution to our culture is allowing us all to see football goals and highlights that in the past you would only be able to access on a junky VHS cassette featuring the "World's Most Incredible Goals!!!!" or somesuch that almost invariably is on its last legs from being played and rewound so often.
posted by holden at 10:55 AM on March 16, 2010
The link to the Times report of their #1 choice:
"Within a few seconds that were tucked inside the 55th minute, he scored a second goal of such dazzling beauty that it will be remembered forever by all those privileged enough to witness it. England in the end can have no complaints about effectively being knocked out by a moment of pure and irrestible genius.
Maradona, accelerating as swiftly as a bird on the wing, swayed and swerved his way past Sansom, Butcher, Fenwick and finally Shilton with effortless ease. With a nonchalant prod, he claimed not only the individual goal of the competition so far but he also ended England's journey towards the last four. "
That's a pretty damn good description.
I have no problem with their choice of #1. It's mind-boggling.
posted by grum@work at 12:34 AM on March 17, 2010
Form an orderly line to complain about the list order here :
My #1 came in seventh, which makes a travishmockery of the whole thing.