Andy Clarke picks the best ten goals of the past 12 months.
Andy Clarke picks the best ten goals of the past 12 months
We can spare you the trouble of emailing in your suggestions or declaring your preference in a poll. Lionel Messi scored the best goal of 2007.
When the brilliant Argentinian collected the ball inside his own half before taking on and beating the entire Getafe team to score for Barcelona in their Copa del Rey tie at Camp Nou in April, he produced a moment of rare beauty.
Comparisons between Messi's strike and Diego Maradona's second goal for Argentina against England in 1986 were inevitable. Run side-by-side the two goals are almost identical, only the absence of Peter Reid trailing in Messi's wake marks them apart. Maradona's stunning effort was voted the Goal of the 20th Century, and you don't get much better than that, if you'll allow a little understatement.
Messi Magic
Selecting the best goal of the year may be simpicity itself, but picking through the rest to fill the top 10 is a little trickier and you'll all have your own opinions.
A trawl through the internet reveals all manner of excellence from around the globe - take a bow Juan Pablo Arenas of Chile's U20 team for finding the top corner from the halfway line - but rather than post a list of 10 goals only people with too much time on their hands have seen, we'll stay a little closer to home.
Several stunning goals haven't made the final cut, such as Obafemi Martins catching Paul Robinson by surprise with a dazzling left-footer, Pablo Counago's novelty backheel at Charlton and Chris Brunt's touchline lob at Elland Road. But well done all the same.
The best goals of 2007:
1.
Lionel Messi, BARCELONA 5-2 Getafe, April 18
As if to underline the hype that he was the 'new Maradona', 19-year-old Messi scored a replica of the old Maradona's most famous goal - by punching the ball into the net in a crucial league game against neighbours Espanyol. While we're at it, he also mimicked Maradona's second goal against England, slaloming through the Getafe defence to score in the Copa del Rey at Camp Nou. Just six weeks earlier, Messi scored a quite remarkable hat-trick to earn 10-man Barcelona a 3-3 draw in 'El Clasico' against Real. Some talent.
2.
Ruud van Nistelrooy REAL MADRID 2-1 Valencia, April 21
Not to be entirely outdone by Messi and Barca, Real came up with a special goal of their own just three days later against Valencia. Six exquisite first-time touches and flicks moved the ball from right to left, from where Miguel Torres delivered a flighted cross to the far side of the penalty area. Van Nistelrooy met it with the most perfectly-timed angled volley into the top corner to set Real on their way to a 2-1 win, which proved crucial as they pipped Barca to the title.
3.
Scott Sinclair Barnet 0-2 PLYMOUTH, January 27
Players will always remember the first goal of their career, but Scott Sinclair has more reason than most to recall his outstanding strike against Barnet in the fourth round of the FA Cup, carrying the ball 70 yards from deep inside his own half, before cutting into the penalty area and placing a precise shot beyond keeper Ross Flitney. A goal of which Sir Stanley would have been proud, declared the Plymouth website, adding that Sinclair "left three home defenders on their backsides and suffering from twisted blood." For a more mean-spirited view, see the Barnet website, which says Sinclair 'skipped past Devera and King before slotting past Flitney'.
4.
David Nugent Crystal Palace 0-2 PRESTON, January 27
Just a little better than his first international goal against Andorra was Nugent's outrageous solo effort which dumped Palace out of the FA Cup at Selhurst Park. Strikingly similar to Sinclair's goal on the same afternoon, Nugent outpaced, outwitted an doubtless twisted the blood of three Palace defenders before angling a shot beyond Scott Flinders. Portsmouth await similar magic from their £5m summer signing.
5.
Wayne Rooney MANCHESTER UNITED 2-1 Portsmouth, January 27
January 27 was a good day for great goals. Just a matter of hours after Sinclair and Nugent had blazed their paths to goal, Wayne Rooney conjured up a strike which was all about finesse and precision to help United to victory over Portsmouth in the evening kick-off. Receiving the ball from Gary Neville 30 yards from goal, Rooney advanced a few paces before floating the perfect chip over David James and in off the crossbar. It was reminiscent of Eric Cantona's famous goal against Tottenham in 1996, although Rooney could never hope to match the Frenchman's iconic celebration. Messi is worthy of a mention here, too, for his similar chip against Mexico for Argentina, although he was aided by an out-of-position keeper.
6.
Thierry Henry Blackburn 0-2 ARSENAL, January 13
Henry scored many memorable goals for Arsenal, but few were better than the strike which capped Arsenal's 2-0 win at Ewood Park in January. It was the classic Arsenal breakaway, Henry carrying the ball at pace down the left flank, receiving a measured return pass from Cesc Fabregas and cracking an unstoppable first-time shot across Brad Friedel and in off the bar. The French star would score only twice more for the Gunners before his summer move to Barcelona.
7.
Kaka Manchester United 3 MILAN 2, 24th April
United fans were optimistic of knocking out Milan after their 7-1 quarter-final drubbing of Roma, but Kaka's two goals at Old Trafford proved decisive in their downfall. The Brazilian superstar had already slid an angled equaliser beyond Edwin van der Sar when he came up with a masterpiece to put Milan ahead. After lifting the ball over Gabriel Heinze's shoulder, he braved Patrice Evra's despairing challenge to nod the ball into space. As the United defenders collided in his wake, Kaka coolly slotted past van der Sar. Just one of the multitude of reasons why he is Fifa's Player of the Year.
8.
David Silva Chelsea 1-1 VALENCIA, April 4
David Villa has attracted plenty of admiring glances from Stamford Bridge, but it was team-mate David Silva who caught the eye with a stunning long-range strike as the Spanish side earned a 1-1 draw in April. It takes something special to beat Petr Cech from distance - on this occasion it was a vicious, dipping left-footer from 30 yards, struck from beyond the angle of the penalty area.
9.
Emmanuel Adebayor Tottenham 1-3 ARSENAL, September 15
Henry scored a famous goal for Arsenal against Manchester United, lifting the ball into the air before swivelling and finding the net with an instant volley. Adebayor's injury-time strike which sealed a 3-1 win at Spurs was similar in execution, although his right-foot volley from the edge of the penalty area was if anything even more emphatic.
10.
James McFadden France 0-1 SCOTLAND, September 12
McFadden's strike to beat Charlton at Goodison in April will live long in the memory, but it can't beat his instinctive turn and 35-yard volley which put France to the sword in Paris and earned Scotland one of their best ever results.
