Messi, Pele, Maradona: Who tops our list of the 10 greatest goals of all time?

A lot of different aspects go into a memorable goal.

Indeed, while some supporters prefer moments of individual brilliance, others like team goals, with the first effort on this list a brilliant example of the latter.

Here, Sports Mole has counted down the 10 greatest goals of all time, and as expected, it was a very difficult list to put together due to the competition that exists in this category.

Goals in big matches definitely take on more importance, and there are some in the following list that were scored in fixtures of such standing, and efforts such as that are given more significance.

The introduction of VAR continues to be criticised, and players these days are still not sure how to celebrate a goal in fear that it could be disallowed, and that has taken some romance out of the game.

There are still so many beautiful moments in football, though, and there are some absolute crackers on the following top 10 list, which was put together after much deliberation.

10: Jack Wilshere (Arsenal vs Norwich, 2013)

The best team goal ever? Wilshere’s strike against Norwich City in 2013 is certainly the best of its kind scored in the Premier League era, as this is one of the rare goals that even the opposing supporters, manager and players can admit was truly unstoppable.

Along with Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla, Wilshere and his teammates perfectly executed four vintage one-touch passes in the blink of an eye to dissect a dizzied Canaries defence, before the midfielder coolly slotted home with a delicate first-touch finish on the way to a 4-1 win at the Emirates Stadium.

9: Roberto Carlos (Brazil vs France, 1997)

Being such a hugely important route for many goals, there had to be a free kick on this list, and there are few doubts about who scored the most impressive set-piece goal of all time, Brazil full-back Roberto Carlos and his physics-defying strike back in 1997.

Carlos was famed throughout his career for his extraordinary athleticism, free-kick ability and his tendencies to shoot from outrageous angles, and this was no exception, as the left-back powered an incredible out-swinging 40-yard strike beyond flummoxed French goalkeeper Fabien Barthez in the opening match of Le Tournoi in 1997.

8: Mauro Bressan (Fiorentina vs Barcelona, 1999)

While this list will predominantly take into account stunning goals scored in trophy-clinching encounters during high-pressure moments, there was simply no way this goal from Fiorentina’s Bressan could be left out, due to it being one of the most audacious and unstoppable goals of all time.

After the Barca defence failed to properly clear their lines, Bressan saw a one-in-a-million opportunity flash before his eyes, and attempted an astonishing overhead kick from 25 yards out, which flew out of reach of Francesc Arnau in the visiting goal and in, satisfyingly off the underside of the crossbar.

7: Pele (Brazil v Sweden, 1958)

A goal that spawned a legend, Pele’s memorable strike against Sweden in the 1958 World Cup final as a 17-year-old endeared him to the masses, and was the making of a teenage superstar.

Showing sublime close control, technique and strength for a man of such tender years, Pele controlled a difficult cross, before looping the ball almost 10 feet in the air to evade a flying challenge from a Swedish defender, before catching the sweetest of volleys, burying the chance beyond Kalle Svensson, and putting Brazil 3-1 up in the final, as they sealed their first-ever World Cup title.

6: Marco van Basten (Netherlands vs USSR, 1988)

The first goal of its kind to be scored at such a high level, Van Basten’s memorable goal is still referenced to this day, as any sweet, looping volley scored from an acute angle is often described as being “Van Basten-esque”.

Not only that, this stunning strike was hugely important in Dutch footballing history, as it helped the Oranje to their first-ever major title, being the clinching goal in the 2-0 win over the Soviet Union in the Euro 88 final, and an added bonus is it was scored in their bitter rivals’ backyard, the Olympiastadion in Munich, Germany.

5: Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid vs Bayer Leverkusen, 2002)

One of the most iconic goals ever scored, by one of the sport’s most iconic players, Zidane’s Champions League final effort from 2002 had to be in this list, being the most notable moment in the Frenchman’s club career.

The technique on display for this goal is scarcely believable, as Zidane kept his eye perfectly on Roberto Carlos’s looped cross, before unleashing an unstoppable side-winding left-footed volley that was in the back of the net before keeper Hans-Jorg Butt could even move, sending half of Hampden Park into rapture, putting Los Blancos back in front, as Real clinched their ninth UCL title.

4: Gareth Bale (Real Madrid vs Liverpool, 2018)

Simply put, the greatest Champions League final goal of all time came from the flying left foot of Bale in the 2018 edition against Liverpool in Kyiv, which put Los Blancos on course for their 13th title.

The audacity to attempt such an effort at 1-1 in the Champions League final was one thing, but to pull it off was miraculous, as Bale showed unbelievable agility and athleticism, almost going into orbit to make contact with Marcelo’s delivery, before showcasing exquisite technique to find the top corner, with the power alone being enough to beat Loris Karius in the Liverpool goal.

3: Lionel Messi (Barcelona vs Real Madrid, 2011)

Many often regard Messi’s solo effort against Getafe as his greatest ever goal, but given the occasion and the stage in which he scored this one, it deserves to rank higher, pulling out a moment of sheer brilliance away to their bitter rivals in the semi-finals of the Champions League.

There were shades of Diego Maradona vs. England as Messi took the ball off Sergio Busquets just inside the Real Madrid half, wandered past four defenders with consummate ease, before remaining composed to beat Iker Casillas, sending the Blaugrana through to a Champions League final which they won, and earned Messi a deserved Ballon d’Or.

2: Carlos Alberto (Brazil vs Italy, 1970)

The crowning moment for arguably the greatest football team of all time, Carlos Alberto’s goal that completed Brazil’s 4-1 victory over Italy in the 1970 World Cup remains the best team goal in the history of the sport, even five decades on.

Excluding Alberto, seven of Brazil’s other nine outfield players played a part in the passing move that eventually culminated in the right-back thumping the ball into the bottom corner, after being assisted by Pele, putting the Selecao three goals to the good, sealing a third world title in four tournaments.

1: Diego Maradona (Argentina vs England, 1986)

In a World Cup quarter-final where Maradona scored two of the most famous goal ever seen in the sport, one of which is infamous for its cheekiness and the bewilderment of how the officials never saw such a flagrantly obvious handball, but the second was a piece of pure genius, which will likely never be topped.

Just four minutes after the ‘Hand of God’, Maradona followed it up with the ‘Goal of the Century’ in front of 115,000 stunned supporters, as the little magician ran 60 yards, waltzing past four England players, before shimmying beyond the on-rushing Peter Shilton, leaving the Argentina number 10 with an open goal to finish off the most iconic goal in football history.