Top 10 - Insane Volleys
From Van Basten to Rooney, some of football’s greatest volleys remain pillars of excellence
10) Paul Scholes – Aston Villa v Man Utd 2006
Another from the magnificent collection of Premier League goals in 06-07, there wouldn’t be a celebration of superb volleys without one from Paul Scholes.
In a career littered with spectacular strikes, this 25-yard thunderbolt against Aston Villa was all about power and accuracy. After a Ryan Giggs corner was headed away by Gavin McCann, Scholes had the perfect height at which to unleash an effort that rocketed past Gabor Kiraly via the woodwork (what is it about goals that go in off the crossbar?)
In front of the travelling Manchester United support, they had the perfect view as this howitzer helped secure an emphatic 3-0 away win and maintained United’s charge to their first Premier League title in four years.
9) Robin Van Persie – Charlton v Arsenal 2006
In a Premier League season that had more than its fair share of world-class goals, this stunner in the 2006-07 campaign stands out.
Early in the second half, an Arsenal breakaway down the right gave Emmanuel Eboue the time and space to float a cross towards the box. Having already pulled the Gunners level, Van Persie really was the Flying Dutchman as he flew five feet into the air and connected first time to fire past the hapless Scott Carson.
Cue an elated striker charging towards an equally ecstatic away end as he stood to acclaim the adulation for what Arsene Wenger described as “the goal of a lifetime.”
That volley was a glimpse into the technical brilliance Van Persie would display in later years with Arsenal and Manchester United, with whom he’d claim a Premier League title with in 2013.
8) Taison – Metalist Kharkiv v Rosenborg 2012
24 years on from Marco Van Basten’s wonder-strike in the 1988 Euro final (we’re coming to that soon!), his name came up across the footballing circles again, because of a goal scored in the UEFA Europa League by Metalist Kharkiv winger, Taison.
A ball from the left landed right into the Brazilian’s path and without a second thought, he rifled it into the net. It shouldn’t have come as any sort of surprise – he was regarded as the best new signing in the Ukraine that season, erven pipping now-Chelsea winger Willian to the accolade.
Taison’s influence on this game was more than his wonder goal. He also provided an assist for the second in a 3-1 win. It was an effort that many top clubs linked with his signature, including Chelsea. But the star of the show opted against a move to England, and instead joined Shakhtar Donetsk.
7) Paolo Di Canio – West Ham v Wimbledon 2000
This goal recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, and to this day there’s still an amazement as to how Paolo Di Canio pulled it off.
The build-up itself was a thing of beauty: Marc-Vivien Foe sprayed a pass out to Trevor Sinclair on the right wing. One touch later, Sinclair sends a perfectly-weighted ball from right to left, over the helpless Kenny Cunningham’s head and towards Di Canio. The mercurial Italian clearly knew what was coming next.
Already in the air as the ball reached him, Di Canio somehow kept his poise mid-air and with the outside of his right boot fired a volley that sailed past Neil Sullivan and into the far corner. The reaction of all inside Upton Park spoke for itself as instead of the usual roar that accompanies any goal was instead met with bewilderment and a mass “Ooooh!” as Di Canio wheeled away wagging his finger in celebration.
6) Wayne Rooney – Manchester United v Newcastle 2005
24 April 2005. One of the most iconic goals in Premier League history. And it couldn't have come at a better time for Manchester United. This was a time when the club had scored one goal in their last five games and, at half-time, faced the real possibility of that run extending to six for the first time since 1989.
But all that was about to be forgotten with one strike. One earth-shattering, legend-creating volley. A frustrated Rooney was in pole position to execute a strike sent into the heavens by Newcastle defender Peter Ramage, and with the full force of a right foot, a connection so-sweet flies into the top corner of the net with goalkeeper Shay Given barely given time to made a move.
Rooney in full flight with a venomous volley at the Theatre of Dreams.
5) Tony Yeboah – Leeds v Liverpool 1995
To this day, Tony Yeboah’s name lives on in two memorable strikes in the white of Leeds United.
However, it was this moment of magic against Liverpool that truly stood out in the early throes of the 1995-96 season. An otherwise drab Monday night game was illuminated in the early stages of the second half, when a Tony Dorigo ball towards the box was headed down by Rod Wallace and into the path of Yeboah who unleashed an unstoppable effort past David James.
What makes this goal even better is the added assistance of the crossbar, which compelled the ball to fire in the back of the net and ensure a permanent fixture in any greatest-ever Premier League goals compilation.
4) Tim Cahill – Australia v Netherlands 2014
The 2014 FIFA World Cup was so good for stunning goals that two of the finishes were nominated for the FIFA Puskas Award. One of those eventually went on to win it. It wasn’t Tim Cahill and his effort against the Netherlands but my word he can take pride in that effort.
Holland had just taken a 1-0 lead through Arjen Robben when Cahill latched onto a ball over the top and unleashed an unstoppable volley with his weaker left foot past Jasper Cillessen.
It's no surprise, then, that Cahill ranks the hit as one of the best goals he ever scored in professional football.
3) James Rodriguez – Colombia v Uruguay 2014
Cahill missed on out the Puskas award because it was beaten by this.
And it would be fair to say that while Colombia failed to win the FIFA World Cup in 2014, the tournament itself belonged to their brightest ever prospects.
James Rodriguez was setting the world alight domestically, and now on the international stage. He finished that tournament in Brazil with six goals but the one that stands out the most was his sensational strike against Uruguay to help send Colombia to the quarter-finals for the very first time.
Rodriguez actually scored both goals in the 2-0 win, but he will long be remembered for his spell-binding chest and volley past Fernando Muslera.
“We’re very happy because we’re making history,” Rodríguez said at the time. “We want to do even more.”
Sadly, for Rodriguez, that’s as far as they got. In the next round they were beaten by Brazil. An inconsolable James surrounded by supportive Brazilians at full-time will also remain a World Cup image to remember. His own personal career has really been in a bit of freefall ever since.
2) Marco Van Basten – Netherlands v Soviet Union 1988
If you’re going to score a goal in a major final, then you may as well make it one to remember.
That’s exactly what Marco Van Basten did in the European Championship showpiece in 1988. His iconic goal sealed a 2-0 over the Soviet Union and secured the Netherlands’ first, and only major title to date. Having already lit up the tournament with four goals in the first four games, the AC Milan forward left his mark in the annals of football history.
In the early stages of the second half, Arnold Muhren picked up a pass on the left wing before playing a speculative, hopeful ball into the box. At first, it appeared to have evaded everyone until up popped Van Basten, who had tracked the ball’s flight all of the way towards the back post.
Despite the odds, and angles, seemingly against him Van Basten majestically connected with the ball with his right foot and arced a ferocious volley over the head of Soviet keeper Rinat Dasayev and into the far top corner.
1) Zinedine Zidane – Real Madrid v Bayer Leverkusen 2002
My, oh, my. Where do we start with this piece of wizardry from the poetic football genius that is Zinedine Zidane?
On 15 May 2002, Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen played out the Champions League final at Scotland's Hampden Park and of course, it was Zizou who was the difference-maker.
The game was on a knife-edge. 1-1 with young sub Iker Casillas and Lucio in inspired form for both Madrid and Leverkusen, respectively.
But the game belonged to Zidane. On the stroke of half-time, the France international produced a moment that would be remembered for years to come.
An attack down the left saw left-back Roberto Carlos manage to send in a lofted ball for Zidane on the edge of the area.
Your average player would have tried to touch the ball down, but remember, Zidane is in fact an alien from out of space.
The Madrid talisman swivelled his body shape and let fly with a staggering left-footed volley that fizzed into the net. Hans-Jorg Butt in the Leverkusen goal could do nothing to stop it. The technique was exquisite. The goal was the difference-maker. Madrid won courtesy of one goal for the ages.