We’ve seen our fair share of great World Cup goals over the years. It’s a given that at the one tournament with all the best players in the world, we see a grand collection of truly great goals.
Because who could forget when Hakan Şükür scored after just 11 seconds in 2002? Or when an 18-year-old Michael Owen introduced himself to the world with a beauty against Argentina in 1998? And what about the 17-year-old Pelé in 1958, when he lobbed the ball over Bengt Gustavsson and volleyed it in to get Brazil up 3-1 in the final against Sweden?
Unfortunately for them, all these goals are just honourable mentions. It’s a testament to the sheer quality of goals we’ve seen throughout 96 years of FIFA World Cup history.
So, after 2,720 goals in 964 matches across 22 editions, what are the 10 best goals in FIFA World Cup history? Flashscore takes you through them, in no particular order.
The Best Goals in FIFA World Cup History
Giovanni van Bronckhorst vs Uruguay, World Cup 2010
The Netherlands had just beaten Brazil in the quarterfinals to make their first semis in 12 years. Opponents? Two-time World Cup winners Uruguay, who’d qualified for just their second World Cup since 1990 and were without Luis Suárez after his infamous handball against Ghana.
With the score still at 0-0, nothing seemed to be going after Oranje created a handful of smaller chances in the opening 15 minutes. Then, after 17 minutes, Netherlands captain Giovanni van Bronckhorst decided to just absolutely leather it. Result: a screamer. The ball landed perfectly in Fernando Muslera’s top corner. What a knock-out punch.
Diego Maradona vs England, World Cup 1986
When even the great Diego Armando Maradona himself says that his goal was a “dream goal”, best believe it’s going to be one of the best goals you’ll ever see.
Just four minutes after his infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal against England, Diego Maradona received the ball on his own half and went 60 metres without any opponent touching the ball, including the legendary Peter Shilton.
Peter Beardsley, Peter Reid, Terry Fenwick, and Terry Butcher, who was beaten twice, were all left for dust by the magisterial Maradona, whose goal would be dubbed the ‘Goal of the Century’. And for very good reason.
James Rodríguez vs Uruguay, World Cup 2014
Every FIFA World Cup has its standout player. Take Diego Maradona in 1986, Lionel Messi in 2022, or Ronaldo in 2002. For the 2014 World Cup, that was Colombia star James Rodríguez.
The baby-faced genius was a man on a mission in Brazil, starting his maiden FIFA World Cup campaign with 3 goals and 5 assists in a rampant group stage. In Colombia’s round of 16 matchup against Uruguay, James showed that no lights were too bright for him.
Rodríguez controlled a header from Abel Aguilar with his chest and hammered it at Fernando Muslera, who tried his best but could only watch the ball fly in via the crossbar. It was the gorgeous cherry on top of James Rodríguez’s masterfully crafted World Cup.
Robin van Persie vs Spain, World Cup 2014
Spain were set for their first-ever title defence at a FIFA World Cup in 2014, having beaten the Netherlands in an extra-time thriller in Johannesburg four years earlier. However, as fate would have it, Oranje would get their shot at revenge just one World Cup game later.
The Group B game between Spain and the Netherlands on June 13th, 2014, will always be remembered for one of the greatest dismantlings of a reigning world champion in sports history. The almighty Spain, who’d won three titles on the spin, were beaten 5-1 in Salvador. And that was after going up 1-0 in the 27th minute.
But as soon as Robin van Persie saw Daley Blind launch a deep ball in the 44th minute, magic was in the air. Van Persie, who’d go through life as the Flying Dutchman from there out, shocked Iker Casillas and the world.
Dennis Bergkamp vs Argentina, World Cup 1998
The Dutch have a knack for scoring worldies at the FIFA World Cup, don’t they?
We go from the Flying Dutchman to the non-flying Dutchman, Dennis Bergkamp. The Arsenal phenom was known for his fear of flying, but luckily for him, the 1998 FIFA World Cup was played in France. On July 4th, 1998, the artistic attacker made Marseille his canvas for one of the greatest goals in football history.
In the quarterfinal against Argentina, the score was tied at 1-1 in the 90th minute when Frank de Boer, much like Daley Blind, laced one deep onto Argentina’s half and found Dennis Bergkamp, who controlled the ball like only he could and cut it past Roberto Ayala before finishing it with the outside of his foot. An artist at work.
Maxi Rodríguez vs Argentina, World Cup 2006
We continue our fair share of goals coming from Dutch or South American feet with Maxi Rodríguez, who lit up the round of 16 at the 2006 World Cup in Germany with an absolute wonder strike.
It was Argentina against Mexico, who were looking to once and for all leave their World Cup curse in the past by making it to their first-ever quarterfinals. The game against Argentina looked to be heading towards extra time when Maxi Rodríguez was played a high ball from captain Juan Pablo Sorín, chested it and launched a rocket into Oswaldo Sánchez’s goal from the very corner of the penalty area. A blinding strike, and one that kept Mexico’s curse alive and well.
Carlos Alberto vs Italy, World Cup 1970
When you talk about the greatest teams in football history, the 1970 Brazil team is very high up that list. It was stacked with talent, with the likes of Pelé, Jairzinho, Rivellino, Tostão, and the team’s undisputed leader, Carlos Alberto.
Brazil had dominated the tournament prior to the final against Italy, who boasted the likes of Giacinto Facchetti, Gigi Riva, and Gianni Rivera. The Italians were vastly outclassed by the imperious Brazilians, however, and it showed itself best in Carlos Alberto’s championship-winning goal in the 86th minute.
Tostão, Brito, Clodoaldo, Gérson and Pelé, who blindly laid it off to the storming captain, were all involved in the 4-1 before Carlos Alberto finished it off with a thunderous strike into Enrico Albertosi’s bottom corner. And that’s how 107,000 people were treated to one of the best goals in football history.
Manuel Negrete vs Bulgaria, World Cup 1986
Mexico 1986 was a tournament for the ages. And it wasn’t just Diego Maradona’s masterclass that made it that way.
16 years after hosting their first FIFA World Cup, Mexico had a new star to build a team around: Real Madrid striker Hugo Sánchez. The superstar was paired up front with Manuel Negrete, who’d just concluded his seventh season at Pumas. And it wasn’t Sánchez, but Negrete who would make the home crowd erupt in their group stage game against Bulgaria.
Negrete controlled a high ball and lobbed it to Javier Aguirre, who lobbed the ball back to Negrete without letting it bounce. Negrete would make himself invincible in Mexico just one second later, when he took it beautifully and fired it in Borislav Mihaylov’s goal with a stunning scissor kick.
Tim Cahill vs the Netherlands, World Cup 2014
There was something in the Brazilian water in 2014. There had to be.
In their group stage game against the Netherlands, who’d beaten Spain 5-1 five days earlier, Australia had just conceded the first goal when Arjen Robben slotted the ball into Matt Ryan’s bottom left corner. Just one minute later, however, the continent of Australia erupted with joy.
Right-back Ryan McGowan fired a ball deep into the Netherlands’ half and found national hero Tim Cahill, who didn’t think about it and just volleyed the ball via the crossbar into Jasper Cillessen’s goal. You can’t reach a higher level of technical prowess.
Benjamin Pavard vs Argentina, World Cup 2018
The 2018 World Cup saw goals, goals, and more goals. The tournament didn’t see a goalless draw until nearly two weeks after the opening match, but saw perhaps its biggest highlight in the round of 16, when a certain Benjamin Pavard looked to have ended the hopes and dreams of Lionel Messi’s Argentina.
After Antoine Griezmann handed France the lead with a penalty, Ángel Di María and Gabriel Mercado got Argentina in front right before and after half-time. That’s when Benjamin Pavard produced a moment of magic by majestically slicing in Theo Hernández’s cross. Is there a more satisfying camera angle in football than the one that caught Pavard’s goal from behind? Just gorgeous.