From Ronaldo to Rooney, the greatest overhead kicks of all time

ALL week long, the big talking point among football fans around the world was the goal scored by Manchester United’s teenage sensation Alejandro Garnacho. It wasn’t just any goal, but a glorious overhead kick that sent the Red Devils on their way to a comfortable 3-0 win over their English Premier League (EPL) rivals Everton.

Sports journalists have run out of superlatives to describe the strike that is now a shoo-in to win the Goal of the Season prize, even though there are still nearly six months of the season to play.

In the third minute of the game at a hostile Goodison Park, the 19-year-old Argentine leapt high into the air like an acrobat to meet Diogo Dalot’s cross, sending the ball flying into the back of the net past hapless goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

BT Weekend delves into football’s history books and picks out five other breathtaking overhead goals that will also be talked about for generations to come.

Rivaldo (Barcelona) vs Valencia, 2001

On the final day of the 2000/01 season, the stakes could not be any higher for Barcelona. The Catalans had to defeat Valencia at home to clinch a spot in the Champions League, and it was Rivaldo who turned in a man-of-the-match performance to etch his name in Spanish football folklore.

The Brazilian had already netted twice for Barcelona, with Valencia drawing level each time. In the 87th minute, that’s where he produced a moment of pure magic. 

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A cross by Frank de Boer fell perfectly for Rivaldo, who was standing on the edge of the Valencia box. In one swift motion, he chested the ball and, with his back to goal, smashed an unstoppable overhead kick into the bottom corner. That amazing goal sparked scenes of pandemonium at the Nou Camp, as Barcelona did just about enough to finish fourth and qualify for Europe’s top club competition.

Wayne Rooney (Man United) vs Manchester City, 2011

This hot-tempered Manchester derby was deadlocked at 1-1 when up popped Wayne Rooney to score one of the most spectacular goals Old Trafford has ever witnessed.

In the 78th minute, Nani sent in a cross from the right flank into the box. The ball was high and behind Rooney, but he flung himself into the air and powered an overhead kick past City’s shell-shocked goalkeeper Joe Hart.

Purists will say the ball came off Rooney’s shin, not his foot, but that didn’t stop him from winning the Goal of the Season award. For the sheer importance of the goal, this Rooney beauty will remain on the list of the EPL’s greatest goals for the rest of time.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden) vs England, 2012

This may have only been an international friendly, but Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic was in some scoring mood that day as he bagged all four goals against England in a chaotic 4-2 win.

Ibrahimovic, who was playing for Paris Saint-Germain at the time, had already scored a hat-trick and was guaranteed to go home with the match ball. 

He was far from done, however, and his fourth goal, in injury time, was the best of the lot by a mile. Even though he was nearly 30 metres away from goal, he leapt into the air like Superman, contorted his body and smashed an overhead kick beyond England goalkeeper Joe Hart.

Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) vs Liverpool, 2018

On the biggest stage of them all, the Champions League final in Kiev, Gareth Bale was sent on by Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti just after the hour mark with the tie delicately poised at 1-1.

The Welshman wasted no time in making an impact. Within 90 seconds, he had the world at his feet. With Liverpool’s defenders watching like statues, Bale performed an acrobatic bicycle kick to finish an accurate cross by Marcelo from the left. Bale scored again seven minutes from time as Madrid clinched their third Champions League crown in a row. What’s more, that half-hour appearance on the pitch was more than enough to earn Bale the man-of-the-match honours.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) vs Juventus, 2018

You know you have achieved something special when even the opposing fans stand up to applaud your feat. Cristiano Ronaldo’s second goal for Real Madrid in this Champions League quarter-final first-leg in Turin was remarkable – the Portuguese striker, at the age of 33, leapt head and shoulders above everyone else before firing the ball into the corner of the net with a beautiful overhead kick.

A Juventus defender paid the ultimate compliment by describing it as a “Playstation goal” – the kind you usually only see in video games. But no, this was as real as it could get. Ronaldo has scored hundreds of goals in his career, and this one stands out for its execution and brilliance.