From Pele to Maradona – Watch our Top 10 World Cup goals

1 June 2014

With Brazil 2014 just around the corner, we’ve taken a trip down memory lane to bring you the top 10 World Cup goals of all time.

The World Cup has been the showcase for some of the greatest stars to have graced the game. Diego Maradona, Pele, Johan Cruyff - their names alone are enough to wet your appetite - making this year's finals seem an age away...

But don't fret ...for it will all be starting very soon, and in the meantime check out our top 10 World Cup goals!

First up, a hammer drive from Lothar 'Torminator' Matthaus.

10 - Lothar Mattheus

EveryFourthYear (Youtube)

West Germany vs Yugoslavia, 1990

German captain Mattheus led by example in his side's 4-1 opening win over Yugoslavia, charging from his own half before slamming a right-footed shot past Tomislav Ivkovic.

09 - Josimar

EveryFourthYear (Youtube)

Brazil vs Northern Ireland, 1986

The Brazilian defender smashed home from an improbable distance to make Pat Jennings' final World Cup one to remember for the wrong reasons in their group stage clash in Guadalajara.

08 - Roberto Baggio

EveryFourthYear (Youtube)

Italy vs Czechoslovakia, 1990

Italy was desperate for the so-called 'Divine Ponytail' to come up with the goods on home soil and he did not disappoint, beating two men to net a stunning individual effort against the Czechs.

07 - Michael Owen

101 Great Goals (Youtube)

England vs Argentina, 1998

The 18-year-old Owen scored what many regard to be England's greatest World Cup goal in their ill-fated 1998 last-16 tie when he bore down on the Argentinian goal before unleashing unstoppable angled drive past Carlos Roa.

06 - Johan Cruyff

EveryFourthYear (Youtube)

Holland vs Brazil, 1974

Cruyff earned the Dutch a place in their first World Cup final with a magnificent volley in the second group phase against Brazil, leaping to finish off Rob Rensenbrink's cross from the left wing.

05 - Said Owairan

EveryFourthYear (Youtube)

Saudi Arabia vs Belgium, 1994

The Saudi Arabian midfielder made the headlines with a stunning individual effort in the group match against Belgium, picking up the ball in the middle of his own half and running the length of the pitch before finding the net.

04 - Diego Maradonna

EveryFourthYear (Youtube)

Argentina vs Belgium, 1986

Having already turned the England defence inside-out in the quarter-finals, Maradona was at it again in the 1986 semi-final when he wriggled his way past four Belgian defenders before sliding the ball home to send his nation back into the World Cup final.

03 - Pele

EveryFourthYear (Youtube)

Brazil vs Sweden, 1958

The 17-year-old Pele announced his arrival to the football world with a breathtaking strike in his nation's 5-2 final win over hosts Sweden. After chesting the ball down and chipping over an advancing defender, he volleyed past Kalle Svensson to put Brazil 3-1 up.

02 - Carlos Alberto

EveryFourthYear (Youtube)

Brazil vs Italy, 1970

Alberto earned his place in World Cup finals folklore when he finished a superb team passing move, steaming in from the right channel to meet Pele's perfectly-weighted lay-off with a shot low into the net from a tight angle as Brazil claimed the trophy with a 4-1 final win over Italy.

01 - Diego Maradona

EveryFourthYear (Youtube)

Argentina vs England, 1986

Never mind the 'Hand of God' - Maradona's second effort in the 1986 quarter-final, when he picked up the ball in his own half and beat the entire England defence before slotting past Peter Shilton, deserves to go down as the greatest World Cup finals goal of all time.

From Pele to Maradona – Watch our Top 10 World Cup goals

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