Best of the Euro goals

There’ve been some belters at European Championship finals, with Michael Ballack’s thunderous free kick against Austria yesterday the latest. Here’s our top ten – feel free to disagree, though there’s not much argument about the number one, surely?

10. Zinedine Zidane, FRANCE v Spain, 2000
This just edges Frank de Boer’s piledriver against France in the same tournament (it was superb, but Bernard Lama should still have saved it and the wall was only half-built). Zidane’s incredible technique was evident in the pace and dip of this effort.
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9. Ronnie Whelan, IRELAND v USSR, 1988
A long throw (naturally, Jack Charlton was the manager) is volleyed into the net by a sideways Whelan, who had both feet in the air. OK, so it was off his shin, but it looks amazing from a distance.

8. Johan Cruyff, HOLLAND v Belgium, 1976
He collected an incisive pass down the left, cut inside and curled the ball past the goalkeeper from an acute angle near the corner of the six yard box. Totally excellent.
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7. Tomas Brolin, SWEDEN v England, 1992
Admittedly this was against an England side managed by Graham Taylor, so Brolin’s achievement should be downgraded accordingly. Still, a nice one-two with Martin Dahlin and great finish.
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6. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, SWEDEN v Italy, 2004
Italy failed to clear a corner and with his back to goal, the forward showed incredible athleticism and delicacy to flick the ball over his head and over the man on the line.
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5. Paul Gascoigne, ENGLAND v Scotland, 1996
Left-foot dink over Colin Hendry, right-foot volley, you know the rest.

4. Maniche, PORTUGAL v Holland, 2004
Short corner; Maniche collects it at the corner of the penalty area and bends a banana shot inside the far post past Edwin van der Sar. He was less impressive on loan at Chelsea two years later.
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3. Karel Poborsky, CZECH REPUBLIC v Portugal, 1996
Reaching the edge of the area after a slightly lucky dribble, the Manchester United flop lofted an exquisite wedge-shot up and over the advancing goalkeeper.
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2. Davor Suker, CROATIA v Denmark, 1996
The striker collected a through ball, dribbled inside the box and lobbed Peter Schmeichel with an audacious flick of his left foot from a tricky angle. Stunned, the goalkeeper fell on to his backside.
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1. Marco van Basten, HOLLAND v USSR, 1988
A deep floated ball to the far post, right-foot volley over the goalkeeper into the far corner from an angle that looked impossible but obviously wasn’t. “How can you stop Marco van Basten?” John Motson wondered. Sadly, injuries did. But this goal is eternal.
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Comments

[Jules]

What about Panenka's penalty kick in 1976?

[soren]

Nice selection. Suker and Van Basten are classics. Yet, even biased as I am, I think the list needs the representation of a different style of go-getter. Elkjaers winner in the Denmark-Belgium match in 1984 is qualified to be in the top 10. See for yourself at http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=kCmu2J_xrJM

[Andy C]

Gascoigne, Gascoigne, Gascoigne.

He took two outrageous touches, as opposed to Van Bastens glorious volley, and mugged off one of the best defenders in the tournament.

And celebrated it much much better.

[warren sherwin]

Gazza's should be no2 behind Van Basten's for my money

[Matt]

Good choices. Although, for the best header ever in the Euros, it has to be Henrik Larsson's superman impression against Bulgaria in 2004. All that was missing was the cape.