Updated: 2026-06-17
Over more than ninety years the World Cup has left us with too many classic moments, but the goals that generation after generation of fans actually watch over and over again are really only a handful. With the 2026 World Cup kicking off across the three host nations of Canada, the United States and Mexico, I want to share, from a fan’s point of view, the ten goals in World Cup history that get mentioned most often and are most worth revisiting before kick-off. First I’ll lay out their key details in a table, so you can cross-reference the years and stages of the tournament, and then I’ll talk through one by one why they are so unforgettable. If you’d like to see fuller information on the 2026 tournament, you can head back to our World Cup Zone.
| Scorer | Year / Tournament | Opponent and Stage | Why it’s unforgettable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maradona (Diego Maradona) | 1986 Mexico | England, quarter-final | Beat five players from midfield, voted the “Goal of the Century” |
| Carlos Alberto | 1970 Mexico | Italy, final | A thunderous right-back strike after a multi-player Brazilian passing move |
| Al-Owairan (Saeed Al-Owairan) | 1994 USA | Belgium, group stage | The Saudi forward’s solo charge of nearly 70 yards |
| Bergkamp (Dennis Bergkamp) | 1998 France | Argentina, quarter-final | Controlled a long ball, turned, and finished with the outside of his foot |
| Owen (Michael Owen) | 1998 France | Argentina, round of 16 | An 18-year-old’s solo run past two defenders |
| J. Rodríguez (James Rodríguez) | 2014 Brazil | Uruguay, round of 16 | Chest control, turn and volley; Puskás Award |
| Götze (Mario Götze) | 2014 Brazil | Argentina, final | A chest-down and left-foot volley in extra time that settled it |
| Roger Milla | 1990 Italy | Colombia, round of 16 | The 38-year-old substitute robbed the goalkeeper and tapped into an empty net |
| Maradona (Hand of God) | 1986 Mexico | England, quarter-final | A handball goal in the same match; controversy and legend side by side |
| The Brazil team (1970 finish) | 1970 Mexico | Italy, final | Pelé’s assist and the whole team’s involvement: the template for “the beautiful game” |
The one ranked first in almost everyone’s heart is Maradona’s against England in 1986. In the quarter-final he received the ball in his own half and, within 10 seconds, dribbled past five England players to score; in 2002 it was voted by FIFA fans as the “Goal of the Century”. What is intriguing is that, four minutes earlier in the very same match, he had punched in that notorious “Hand of God” goal with his fist; having both the most controversial and the most admired goal in a single match is precisely what makes Maradona impossible to replicate, and Argentina ultimately knocked England out 2-1.
The only one considered worthy of standing alongside it is Carlos Alberto’s against Italy in the 1970 final, Brazil’s fourth goal. It was a thunderbolt from the right-back, but what people truly relish is the slow-slow-fast team passing move before the goal, finished off when Pelé laid the ball across and the captain delivered the killer blow, helping Brazil lift the trophy for a third time with a 4-1 win and becoming the most frequently cited example of “the beautiful game”. So in this list I’ve also singled out this team finish on its own, to remind everyone that a great goal is not just an individual show.
Among the solo charges, Saudi Arabia’s Al-Owairan against Belgium in 1994 ranks right at the top. About five minutes in, he picked up the ball in his own half, sprinted nearly 70 yards, beat several defenders and slotted it home, helping Saudi Arabia win 1-0 and reach the knockout stage for the first time in their history; this goal is also often mentioned in the same breath as Maradona’s. The 1990 effort by Roger Milla against Colombia is romance of another kind: the 38-year-old came on as a substitute, scored, then robbed the ball after the goalkeeper’s error and rolled it into the empty net; his trademark dance by the corner flag spread the news of Cameroon’s African miracle around the world.
The 1998 World Cup in France was especially kind to fans, contributing two classics in a single tournament. Bergkamp (Dennis Bergkamp) in the quarter-final against Argentina received Frank de Boer’s long pass in the 89th minute, controlled it with the outside of his right foot, adjusted the angle with one more touch, and finally slashed it into the net with the outside of his boot, sending the Netherlands through to the semi-finals 2-1. In the round of 16 of the same tournament, the 18-year-old Owen (Michael Owen) against Argentina took Beckham’s lofted pass, controlled and carried it, beat Chamot and Ayala and fired into the far corner, making his name in a single match.
The two most representative goals of recent years both come from the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. J. Rodríguez (James Rodríguez) in the round of 16 against Uruguay, with his back to goal outside the box, chested down a teammate’s headed knock-on, turned and volleyed with his left foot off the bar and into the net; this goal was voted the best of the tournament and is the only World Cup goal to win the FIFA Puskás Award, and in that match he scored a brace to help Colombia win 2-0. And Götze (Mario Götze) in the final against Argentina, in the 113th minute of extra time, took Schürrle’s cross on his chest and volleyed it home with his left foot, 1-0 to win Germany the trophy and make Germany the first European team to win the title in the Americas.
These ten goals span 1970 to 2014 and cover types ranging from individual solo runs and team passing moves to controversial handballs and substitute heroes, which neatly explains why the World Cup’s appeal is so hard to replace. Whether the 2026 pitches will add a new member to this list depends on this summer’s matches across the three host nations – and if you want to keep on top of the schedule and match-watching information, you’re welcome to return to the World Cup Zone at any time.
Leave a Reply