15 Greatest Goals in FIFA World Cup History
During the course of its nearly century-long history, the FIFA World Cup has seen the worldâs best players find the back of the net since Franceâs Lucien Laurent scored the first goal in the tournamentâs history on July 13, 1930. Since the first World Cup was held, players from more than 80 countries have participated in at least one edition of the football (soccer) competition. Brazilian legend PelĂ© announcing his arrival on the World Cup stage as a 17-year-old prodigy in 1958, Argentine superstar Diego Maradona scoring both the infamous âhand of Godâ goal and the âgoal of the centuryâ in the same match, and Franceâs Kylian MbappĂ© netting a magical hat trick in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final have all become indelible pieces of tournament lore. Argentinaâs Enzo FernaÌndez also became part of World Cup history by scoring the competitionâs 3,000th goal in his teamâs 3â2 victory against Egypt at the 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 16 stage on July 7.
Learn more about some of the most stunning World Cup goals ever scored.
Maradonaâs âhand of Godâ
This goal is arguably the most (in)famous in FIFA World Cup history. During the 1986 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal against England, legendary Argentine footballer Diego Maradona outjumped English goalkeeper Peter Shilton to score a goal with his hand, later claiming that the âhand of Godâ was partially responsible. âUn poco con la cabeza de Maradona y otro poco con la mano de Diosâ (âA little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of Godâ) was how Maradona described scoring the technically illegal goal in an interview after the match. Although video replays clearly showed that Maradona had used his hand to send the ball into the net, the goal was allowed to stand because neither referee Ali Bin Nasser nor his assistant on the touchline, Bogdan Dochev, saw the handball on the field, and they could not access the replays at that time. Maradona scored a wonder goal a few minutes later to compound Englandâs misery. The final score was 2â1 in Argentinaâs favor; as a result, England was knocked out of the tournament, and Argentina went on to lift the World Cup. (Watch the highlights of the infamous goal here.)
Geoff Hurstâs ghost goal
Also known as a phantom goal, a ghost goal refers to officiating errors during a football match, resulting in either a goal being awarded despite the ball not having crossed the goal line or a legitimate goal being denied. A controversial ghost goal incident occurred at the 1966 FIFA World Cup final between England and West Germany. During extra time English striker Geoff Hurst unleashed a shot that hit the underside of the crossbar, bounced onto (or just behind, depending on your perspective) the goal line, and was cleared. The referee awarded the goal, Hurstâs second of the game, putting England 3â2 ahead. Hurst found the net again and became the first player to score a hat trick in a World Cup final. England won 4â2 to lift the trophy for the first (and to date only) time. However, the legitimacy of the second goal remains the subject of fierce debate to this day. (Watch the controversial goal here.)
Benjamin Pavardâs perfect strike
Itâs not often that a defender scores a goal in a FIFA World Cup match, and itâs even rarer for such a strike to be voted the Goal of the Tournament. The 2018 FIFA World Cup belonged to France, which defeated Croatia 4â2 in the final, but the goal in question was scored much earlier, during a round of 16 match against Argentina. French defender Benjamin Pavard struck a perfect outside-of-the-foot diagonal half-volley from the edge of the penalty area, and the ball curled past the diving goalkeeper into the far corner of the net. France beat Argentina 4â3, charging ahead on its route to World Cup victory. (Watch the 2018 World Cupâs best goal here.)
Teen prodigy Pelé
Whether or not they knew it at the time, the fans in attendance at the 1958 FIFA World Cup final between Brazil and Sweden were watching history being made. The championship match was an exciting goal fest, and 17-year-old PelĂ© entered the record books by becoming the youngest player to score in a World Cup final. The teen prodigy flicked the ball over a Swedish defender and volleyed home to give his team a 3â1 lead in the 55th minute of the match. Brazil defeated Sweden 5â2 to win the first of its five World Cups (also 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002). PelĂ©âs goal signaled his status as a legend in the making; he had already distinguished himself by scoring the winner in Brazilâs quarterfinal match against Wales and a hat trick in the semifinal against France. (Watch the record-setting goal here.)
James RodrĂguezâs wonder volley
Colombiaâs James RodrĂguezâs unforgettable volley against Uruguay in a round of 16 match at the 2014 FIFA World Cup was remarkable for its technical brilliance. In the 28th minute RodrĂguez, about 25 yards (23 meters) from the net and facing away from it, received a headed pass from midfielder Abel Aguilar. He cushioned the ball on his chest, spun, and unleashed a left-footed volley off the crossbar, executing one of the most flawless goals in World Cup history. He scored again in the 50th minute, giving Colombia a 2â0 victory. His audacious opening strike was voted the Goal of the Tournament and also won the FIFA PuskĂĄs Award that year, the only World Cup goal to have done so. (Named for Ferenc PuskĂĄs, the award is given to the best goal scored each year across tournaments.) RodrĂguezâs 2014 World Cup total of six goals also won him the Golden Boot (awarded to the tournamentâs top scorer) that year. (Watch the spectacular volley here.)
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Maradonaâs âgoal of the centuryâ
One match, two historic goals by Diego Maradona. The Argentine legend, captaining his side, scored twice in the quarterfinal match against England at the 1986 FIFA World Cup, giving Argentina a 2â1 victory. The opening goal was the infamous âhand of God,â but it was Maradonaâs secondâexecuted at the end of an 11-second dribble down the pitchâthat was voted FIFAâs âgoal of the centuryâ by fans in 2002. Just four minutes after he had illegally used his hand to score, Maradona collected the ball in his own half and skipped past five English players during the course of a 60-yard (55-meter) run to deliver one of footballâs immortal solo goals. Argentina eventually defeated West Germany 3â2 in the final. Maradona created the opportunity for Jorge Burruchaga to score the winning goal, giving Argentina its second World Cup title. (Watch Maradonaâs legendary âgoal of the centuryâ here.)
Roberto Baggioâs brilliance
Italian forward Roberto Baggio made his FIFA World Cup debut in spectacular fashion during the 1990 edition. Baggio, then a rising star, was benched for the first two matches played by the Italian national team, known as the Azzurri, at the tournament. That changed in Italyâs third, and final, Group A match, against Czechoslovakia. Not only did Baggio start for Italy, he scored an individual goal regarded as one of the greatest in World Cup history. Italy was leading 1â0 when, in the 78th minute, Baggio exchanged passes with teammate Giuseppe Giannini, drifted through Czechoslovakiaâs defense with balletic control, and calmly slotted the ball past the goalkeeper. Italy won the match 2â0 and eventually finished third in the tournament, after being defeated by Argentina, led by Diego Maradona, in the semifinal. Baggio scored another goal against England in the third-place playoff. (Watch Baggioâs goal against Czechoslovakia here.)
Dennis Bergkampâs sublime touch
The quarterfinal match between the Netherlands and Argentina at the 1998 FIFA World Cup was at 1â1 and approaching extra time when Dutch forward Dennis Bergkamp scored a masterpiece of a goal. Near the 90th minute, he controlled a long pass from captain Frank de Boer with a perfect touch and finished brilliantly, putting the Netherlands into the semifinals, in which the team lost to Brazil on penalties. The Dutch team endured further heartbreak when it lost the third-place playoff to Croatia. (Watch Bergkampâs goal here.)
Richarlisonâs spinning scissor volley
When Brazil plays its particular brand of football, jogo bonito (âbeautiful gameâ), the world stops. And so it was when the team won its first group-stage match at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, beating Serbia 2â0. Both goals were scored by striker Richarlison, but it was his second, a scissor volley in the 73rd minute, that was voted the Goal of the Tournament. After having put Brazil ahead minutes earlier, Richarlison popped a cross from VinĂcius JĂșnior into the air, spun, and struck a spectacular acrobatic volley past Serbiaâs helpless goalkeeper. Brazil eventually lost to Croatia on penalties in the quarterfinals. (Watch Richarlisonâs Goal of the Tournament here.)
Manuel Negreteâs acrobatic classic
The 1986 FIFA World Cup makes its third appearance in Britannicaâs series on famous World Cup goals. Argentine superstar Diego Maradona dominated the tournament, scoring the infamous âhand of Godâ goal and the âgoal of the centuryâ in quick succession during a quarterfinal match against England. But it was another sensational goal, perfectly executed by Mexicoâs Manuel Negrete, that fans later voted the best goal in the history of the World Cup. In the 34th minute of a round of 16 match against Bulgaria, Negrete passed to teammate Javier Aguirre and then launched himself sideways to scissor kick Aguirreâs return volley and score a dazzling goal. Mexico won the match 2â0 and advanced to the quarterfinals, in which it lost to West Germany on penalty kicks. (Watch Negreteâs stunning goal here.)
Saeed Al-Owairanâs flying sprint
Saudi Arabia made its FIFA World Cup debut in the 1994 edition, eventually getting knocked out by Sweden in the round of 16. In its final group match, against Belgium, Saudi forward Saeed Al-Owairan scored an incredible solo goal, which was remarkable for his 70-yard (about 64-meter) run. Just minutes after the opening whistle blew, Al-Owairan collected a pass inside his own half and sliced through Belgiumâs defense to slide the ball into the net, giving Saudi Arabia a 1â0 victory. It was arguably his countryâs most famous World Cup goal. (Watch his sprint here.)
Kylian MbappĂ©âs magical equalizer
In 2022 French star Kylian MbappĂ© became only the second footballer, after Englandâs Geoff Hurst, to score a hat trick in a FIFA World Cup final. Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, was ahead 2â0 with just under 11 minutes of play left when MbappĂ© equalized the score with two goals in quick succession. The first was a converted penalty, and the second was a precisely placed shot that is counted among the greatest goals scored at World Cup tournaments. Barely a minute and a half after taking the penalty, MbappĂ© volleyed a looping pass into the far corner of the net, tying the score at 2â2. Although MbappĂ© completed his hat trick during extra time, Argentina won the title on penalties after the match ended in a 3â3 draw. (Watch MbappĂ©âs stunning second goal here.)
The United Statesâ âMiracle on Grassâ
The 1950 FIFA World Cup group-stage clash between England and the United States, nicknamed the âMiracle on Grass,â is considered one of the greatest upsets in the tournamentâs history. England, making its World Cup debut, was already established as one of the worldâs footballing superpowers, while the American squad was composed largely of semiprofessional players, including some who had ordinary day jobs. Few expected the Americans to pose a realistic challenge. American player Joe Gaetjens scored the matchâs only goal in the 38th minute when he dived to receive a cross in the English penalty area and scored with a glancing header past Englandâs goalkeeper Bert Williams, sealing one of the World Cupâs biggest underdog victories. (Watch a recap of the goal.)
Ronaldinhoâs floated free kick
At the 2002 FIFA World Cup, the quarterfinal between Brazil and England was considered one of the most exciting clashes of the tournament. Both squads were packed with some of the worldâs best active footballers, such as Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos, and Ronaldinho for Brazil and David Beckham, Michael Owen, and Sol Campbell for England. The match ended in a 2â1 win for Brazil, which went on to win the tournament for a record fifth time. The winning goal was scored by Ronaldinho, who tantalizingly floated a long-range free kick over English goalkeeper David Seamanâs outstretched hand. There has been a long-standing debate about whether Ronaldinho intended to score a goal or was trying to cross the ball to a teammate. (Watch the goal here.)
Robin van Persie, the Flying Dutchman
The group-stage match between reigning champion Spain and the Netherlands at the 2014 FIFA World Cup is remembered as one of the most unexpected one-sided results in the tournament. Spain took an early lead before the Netherlands scored five goals in response. Dutch striker Robin van Persie scored a double on the night, and his first goal was short-listed for the FIFA PuskĂĄs Award for goal of the year. Just before halftime, van Persie slipped past the Spanish defensive line to receive a long-range pass from teammate Daley Blind and looped the ball over Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas with a first-time diving header that amazed the audience. (Watch the spectacular goal here.)