The Goal of the Century, also known as "Greatest Goal in FIFA World Cup History", was an award given for the greatest goal ever scored in a FIFA World Cup tournament. It was decided by a poll on the FIFA website, as part of the coverage of the 2002 FIFA World Cup tournament. It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ... The FIFA World Cup Trophy, which has been awarded to the world champions since 1974. ... An opinion poll is a survey of opinion from a particular sample. ... The International Federation of Football Association (French: ), commonly known by its acronym, FIFA, is the international governing body of association football. ... A website (alternatively, Web site or web site) is a collection of Web pages, images, videos and other digital assets that is hosted on one or several Web server(s), usually accessible via the Internet, cell phone or a LAN. A Web page is a document, typically written in HTML... Qualifying countries The 2002 FIFA World Cup, the 17th staging of the World Cup, was held in South Korea and Japan from May 31 to June 30. ...

The winning goal was the second goal by Diego Maradona in the 1986 FIFA World Cup quarter-final match, for Argentina against England on June 22, 1986, at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City; it came shortly after Maradona's infamous Hand of God goal. Nine minutes into the second half, Héctor Enrique passed the ball to Maradona some ten metres inside his own half. Maradona then began his 60 metre, 10 second dash towards the English goal, leaving behind four English outfield players (Beardsley, Reid, Butcher and Fenwick) as well as goalkeeper Peter Shilton to make the score 2–0 to Argentina. Gary Lineker scored a goal for England 25 minutes later, but England were unable to equalize and Argentina won 2–1, en route to winning the championship. Diego Armando Maradona (born October 30, 1960) is an Argentine former football superstar. ... Qualifying countries The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from May 31 to June 29. ... First international  Scotland 0 - 0 England (Partick, Scotland; 30 November 1872) Biggest win  Ireland 0 - 13 England (Belfast, Ireland; 18 February 1882) Biggest defeat  Hungary 7 - 1 England (Budapest, Hungary; 23 May 1954) World Cup Appearances 12 (First in 1950) Best result Winners, 1966 European Championship Appearances 7 (First in... is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... The Estadio Azteca is the home stadium of the Mexico national team and the Mexican club America, and the one-time home of Atlante, Cruz Azul, and Necaxa. ... Nickname: Motto: Ciudad en movimiento Location of Mexico City in central Mexico Coordinates: , Country Mexico Federal entity Federal District Boroughs The 16 delegaciones Founded c. ... Maradona left, Shilton right The Hand of God goal (Spanish: Mano de Dios) was scored by Diego Maradona in the quarter-final match of the 1986 FIFA World Cup between England and Argentina, played on 22 June 1986 in Mexico Citys Estadio Azteca. ... Héctor Enrique (born April 26, 1962) was a former Argentine footballer. ... Peter Andrew Beardsley MBE (born January 18, 1961, Newcastle upon Tyne) is a renowned English former footballer of the 1980s and 1990s, who once set a record transfer fee in the game and represented his country 59 times, on one occasion as captain. ... Peter Reid (born June 20, 1956 in Whiston, Knowsley, Lancashire (Now Merseyside) is an English former professional football player, manager and pundit. ... Terence Ian Terry Butcher (born December 28, 1958 in Singapore) is an English football manager who is currently manager of Brentford having been appointed on 24 April 2007[1]. Also formerly a professional player, he made his name as an uncompromising defender with Ipswich Town and Rangers in the 1980s. ... Terence William Terry Fenwick (born November 17, 1959 in County Durham, England) is a former football player and coach. ... Peter Leslie Shilton OBE (born Leicester, England, 18 September 1949) was an outstanding goalkeeper who holds the record for playing more games than any other player. ... Gary Winston Lineker, OBE (born 30 November 1960 in Leicester) is a former English international football striker who scored ten goals in two World Cups for the England national team and is currently a sports broadcaster for the BBC. He is also known for appearing in adverts for the Walkers...

About the goal, Maradona said, "I made the play to give it to Valdano, but when I got to the area they surrounded me and I had no space. Therefore, I had to continue the play and finish it myself." A statue of Maradona immortalizing the moment has been erected outside the stadium. Jorge Alberto Valdano (born October 4, 1955 in Las Parejas, Santa Fe Province) is an Argentine former football player. ...

In 2002, Maradona said he could not have scored such a beautiful goal if it had not been against the English team, who did not knock him down as most defenses used to do. "They are probably the noblest in the world," he added.^[1]

On the goal, English striker Gary Lineker said "[it was] probably the one and only time in my whole career I felt like applauding the opposition scoring a goal."^[2] Gary Winston Lineker, OBE (born 30 November 1960 in Leicester) is a former English international football striker who scored ten goals in two World Cups for the England national team and is currently a sports broadcaster for the BBC. He is also known for appearing in adverts for the Walkers...

The Top 10

The top 10 goals, as decided by the poll, were:

1. Diego Maradona (Argentina), 1986 FIFA World Cup vs. England 18,062 votes: 60-meter run from midfield beating Reid, Beardsley, Butcher, Fenwick then the keeper Shilton before tucking it away (YouTube Video).
2. Michael Owen (England), 1998 FIFA World Cup vs. Argentina 10,631 votes: picked the ball up on the half-way line, beat two defenders, then finished off with a shot into the far top corner of the net (YouTube Video).
3. Pelé (Brazil), 1958 FIFA World Cup vs. Sweden 9,880 votes: a deft flick over a Swedish defender followed by a precise volley into the bottom corner (YouTube Video).
4. Diego Maradona (Argentina), 1986 FIFA World Cup vs. Belgium 9,642 votes: a run into the penalty area past three defenders and shot from difficult angle on an unbalanced position (YouTube Video).
5. Gheorghe Hagi (Romania), 1994 FIFA World Cup vs. Colombia 9,297 votes: fierce lob into the top corner from out on the left touchline (YouTube Video).
6. Saeed Owairan (Saudi Arabia), 1994 FIFA World Cup vs. Belgium 6,756 votes: 70-meter run past four opposite players and shot past a defender and the goalkeeper (YouTube Video).
7. Roberto Baggio (Italy), 1990 FIFA World Cup vs. Czechoslovakia 6,694 votes: a one-two with Giannini on the halfway line followed by a mazy dribble into the box then dummying the keeper into a dive before neatly finishing (YouTube Video).
8. Carlos Alberto (Brazil), 1970 FIFA World Cup vs. Italy 5,388 votes: a move that involved Gerson, Piazza, Tostao, Clodoaldo, Rivelino, Jairzinho, Pele then finally Carlos Alberto with a fierce low drive into the corner (YouTube Video).
9. Lothar Matthäus (Germany), 1990 FIFA World Cup vs. Yugoslavia 4,191 votes: (YouTube Video).
10. Vincenzo Scifo (Belgium), 1990 FIFA World Cup vs. Uruguay 2,935 votes (YouTube Video).

Diego Armando Maradona (born October 30, 1960) is an Argentine former football superstar. ... Qualifying countries The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from May 31 to June 29. ... First international  Scotland 0 - 0 England (Partick, Scotland; 30 November 1872) Biggest win  Ireland 0 - 13 England (Belfast, Ireland; 18 February 1882) Biggest defeat  Hungary 7 - 1 England (Budapest, Hungary; 23 May 1954) World Cup Appearances 12 (First in 1950) Best result Winners, 1966 European Championship Appearances 7 (First in... Michael James Owen[2] (born December 14, 1979, in Chester, Cheshire)[3] is an English football player currently with Newcastle United. ... First international  Scotland 0 - 0 England (Partick, Scotland; 30 November 1872) Biggest win  Ireland 0 - 13 England (Belfast, Ireland; 18 February 1882) Biggest defeat  Hungary 7 - 1 England (Budapest, Hungary; 23 May 1954) World Cup Appearances 12 (First in 1950) Best result Winners, 1966 European Championship Appearances 7 (First in... Qualifying countries The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th staging of the World Cup, was held in France from June 10 to July 12 after 60 years to celebrate the third edition scheduled in 1938. ... Edson Arantes do Nascimento, KBE (born October 23rd 1940 in Três Corações, Brazil), best known by his nickname Pelé, is a former Brazilian football player and widely considered as the greatest in history. ... Qualifying countries The 1958 FIFA World Cup, the sixth staging of the World Cup, was hosted by Sweden from June 8 to June 28. ... Diego Armando Maradona (born October 30, 1960) is an Argentine former football superstar. ... Qualifying countries The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from May 31 to June 29. ... Gheorghe Hagi , (born February 5, 1965 in Săcele, ConstanÅ£a), is a Romanian former football player and head coach of FC Steaua BucureÅŸti. ... Qualifying countries The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. ... Saeed Owairan (or Al-Owairan سعيد العويران, born August 19, 1967) is a Saudi Arabian football player. ... Qualifying countries The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. ... Roberto Baggio (born 18 February 1967 in Caldogno, Veneto) is an Italian retired footballer, among the most technically gifted and popular players in the world throughout the 1990s. ... Qualifying countries The 1990 FIFA World Cup, the 14th staging of the World Cup, was held in Italy from June 8 to July 8. ... Carlos Alberto Torres (born July 17, 1944, Rio de Janeiro) was a Brazilian football (soccer) player. ... Qualifying countries The 1970 FIFA World Cup, the ninth staging of the World Cup, was held in Mexico, from May 31 to June 21. ... Lothar Herbert Matthäus (born 21 March 1961) is a Germany former football player and now manager. ... Qualifying countries The 1990 FIFA World Cup, the 14th staging of the World Cup, was held in Italy from June 8 to July 8. ... First international  Czechoslovakia 7 - 0 Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, Macedonians and Slovenes (Antwerp, Belgium; 28 August 1920) Last International  Netherlands 2 - 0 Yugoslavia (Amsterdam, Netherlands; 25 March 1992) Biggest win Yugoslavia 10 - 1 India  (Helsinki, Finland; 15 July 1952) Yugoslavia 9 - 0 Zaire  (Gelsenkirchen, Germany; 18 June 1974) Biggest defeat... Vincenzo Enzo Scifo (born February 19, 1966) is a Belgian football midfielder. ... Qualifying countries The 1990 FIFA World Cup, the 14th staging of the World Cup, was held in Italy from June 8 to July 8. ...

References

1. ^ Football 2002-05-30, Rediff.
2. ^ World Cup 2006, BBC.

External links

• Final top 10 (official)
• Maradona's goal of century
• Maradona's goal of century (Flash Ver.)