Connect with us

Sport

5 of the best Maradona goals ever

The death of Diego Maradona has hit the football world hard. Compatriot Lionel Messi was among those to pay an emotional tribute to the Argentina icon after his death at the age of 60. Maradona is considered by many to be the most talented footballer to play the beautiful game. Here, we remember him by picking out five of the best Maradona goals of all time.

 

5 of the best goals that Maradona scored

 

World Cup 1994  (vs. Greece)

Maradona’s 34th and final international goal for Argentina came against Greece at the World Cup 1994, a tournament from which he was sent home after failing a drug test.

Although Maradona was primarily considered to be an individualist, this was both a superb strike and an outstanding team goal. Maradona was involved in intricate build-up play as the Greece defence struggled to cope with the speed at which Argentina moved the ball on the edge of the penalty area.

When the ball came back to Maradona there was only going to be one result, as he worked the ball on to his left foot and smashed the ball high into the roof of the net. The celebration is arguably more famous than the goal, though. Maradona charged over to the touchline to scream into the television cameras, his bulging eyes making it one of the most iconic images of his career.

 

 

UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup 1982 (vs. Red Star Belgrade)

Maradona did not have the happiest time at Barcelona, a club where he didn’t fit in. But a miserable spell at Camp Nou produced one of the most incredible goals of his wonderful career.

A flowing team move from the back led to Maradona being given the ball in space on halfway. It looks a dangerous situation for the Red Star defence, but Maradona still has a lot to do. He makes it look easy, though.

A powerful burst of pace into the acres of clear ground and a shimmy of the hips to lose the nearest opposition player, then Maradona delivers an outrageous lob that floats over the head of the stranded goalkeeper. Pure class.

 

 

Serie A 1985 (vs. Inter)

Maradona was usually the smallest player on the pitch, but he was surprisingly good in the air. One of his cleverest goals for Napoli came away to Inter in the 1985-86 season.

Bruno Giordano has the ball wide on the right and he cuts on to his left foot and sends a deep cross into the box. Maradona has peeled away from his marker and he takes a gorgeous touch off his chest before lashing home on the volley. He made it look so simple, but this was a brilliant goal for the Napoli legend.

 

 

Serie A 1985 (vs. Juventus)

It is a commonly used phrase in football that a free-kick is simply “too close” to score from. Maradona clearly did not believe in that saying, though, when he stepped up for an indirect free-kick in the penalty area during a league game against Juventus.

The set piece was around 15 yards from goal and the Juventus defence assembled a wall that was surely not the 10 yards away that it should have been. That did not matter to Maradona. Eraldo Pecci rolled the ball to him, prompting two Juve defenders to charge Maradona down.

But Maradona only had eyes for the goal and clipped a stunning effort over the remaining players in the wall and into the top corner, out of the goalkeeper Stefano Tacconi’s reach.

 

 

World Cup 1986 (vs. England)

Peter Shilton may be unwilling to forgive and forget the infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal in the quarter-finals of the 1986 World Cup, but most football fans around the world prefer to remember Maradona for his second goal in the same game.

One of the most amazing solo goals ever scored, Maradona picked up the ball in his own half before spinning away from a pair of opponents. From there, Maradona dribbled past a series of helpless England defenders in his inimitable style before rounding goalkeeper Shilton and slotting home. It took less than 10 seconds from Maradona collecting the pass to the ball ending up in the back of the net.

The 1986 World Cup belonged to Maradona – he set up Argentina’s winning goal in the final against West Germany – and his second goal against England went on to be voted the FIFA World Cup Goal of the Century back in 2002.

Victor Hugo Morales’ breathless commentary made the goal even more unforgettable.

 

 


 

You could earn up to £100 (or currency equivalent) in bonus funds by joining Colossus with our New Player Bonus. Click here to join the action.

Recent Posts