Most memorable goals ever

Type into google 'most memorable goals ever', and you find lots of lists of 'best goals ever'. We all know the sort; that Maradona goal, a few from Messi, a few from Ronaldo. But what about the really memorable ones? The ones that are memorable for more than just their quality?

I decided to ask my friends, and my followers on Twitter, what their most memorable goals were, and based on the answers I was given, I have compiled the the definitive top 10 list.

Here are the most memorable goals ever:

10) Paul Gascoigne, England vs Scotland, 1996

This goal summed up the talent that was Paul Gascoigne. Probably the most naturally gifted English player of his generation, Gascoigne scored this goal to help England beat Scotland 2-0 at Euro 96. England couldn't win their home championships, but it was their best effort ever at a Euros, and this goal from Gascoigne was a highlight of the tournament.

9) Diego Maradona, Argentina vs England, 1986

Diego Maradona scored two goals in this match to knock England out of the 1986 World Cup. The latter of those goals was possibly one of the greatest of all time. The more memorable goal however was perhaps the infamous 'Hand of God'. Remind me how this was allowed again?

8) Roberto Carlos, Brazil vs France, 1997
A goal of relative insignificance, this Roberto Carlos free-kick is remembered because of its sheer astonishing nature. This free-kick simply defies the laws of physics.

7) Ryan Giggs, Manchester United vs Arsenal, 1999
Ryan Giggs scored his best goal for Manchester United in an incredible FA cup semi-final with Arsenal. In a season that is remembered for United's incredible treble, this goal sums of the electrifying nature of their achievements.

6) Michael Owen, England vs Argentina, 1998
Another World Cup heartbreak for England at the hands of Argentina as they lost this match on penalties. However, before the agony, Michael Owen at the tender age of 18 introduced himself to the world as the next big thing with this strike.

5) Steven Gerrard, Liverpool vs West Ham, 2006
Liverpool were on the verge of losing the FA Cup final to West Ham. Injury time had begun, and up stood Steven Gerrard to score a trademark screamer.

4) Sergio Aguero, Manchester City vs QPR, 2012
This goal will live forever in Premier League Hall of Fame. Deep into stoppage time on the last day of the season, Sergio Aguero scores this pivotal goal to win the Premier League. It still hurts.

















3) Geoff Hurst, England vs West Germany, 1966
England's only ever World Cup triumph came at Wembley in 1966. Geoff Hurst's hat-trick ensured a 4-2 victory, his third goal coming late into the match. Perhaps the only goal on here more famous for its commentary than the actual strike.

2) Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Manchester United vs Bayern Munich, 1999
Manchester United completed their remarkable treble in 1999 with the most dramatic of victories again Bayern Munich. Trailing 1-0, they scored two late stoppage time goals with this goal from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer sealing the victory. Here are the full three minutes of United's turnaround culminating in Solskjaer's winner.

1) David Beckham, England vs Greece, 2001

The most memorable goal ever. For any England fan that is. An under-par performance finished with a last minute equaliser from David Beckham. This goal was special. It was a captain's goal, a trademark free-kick from the set-piece specialist, and most importantly it sent England to the World Cup finals. What a goal.

St. George's Park follows lead of Manchester Velodrome

The Duke & Dutchess of Cambridge opened St. George's Park

Take a look at the sports news for 9^th October 2012 and you will see it abreast with stories and features on the opening of St. George’s Park, the new National Football Centre. The 330 acre site will be the home to all 24 England teams, and boasts state of the art facilities including an exact replica of the pitch at Wembley stadium and a full-size indoor 3G pitch.

The possibility of the centre helping the country to future major championship glory is already being talked about. Well in all truth that seems a long way off. England winning the World Cup, really? Then again, in 1994 when the Manchester Velodrome was opened, how many people expected it to help win 17 cycling gold medals from the next five Olympic Games, especially when Great Britain had only won 1 gold medal in Cycling since 1920? At the Beijing and London Olympic games, Great Britain topped the Cycling medal table. Britain are simply the dominant world force in cycling. And that’s what happened as a consequence of Britain’s last major sporting development centre investment.

The Manchester Velodrome, now the National Cycling Centre, was initially built as part of the failed Manchester Olympics bid before going on to host cycling events at the 2002 Commonwealth Games and other major championships. Over the last 20 years it has become the home for the nation’s most successful elite sport, and the success of the British Cycling owes a significant debt to this centre. As well as the main indoor track, the centre also houses the National Cycling offices and facilities, and the area has become the main hub for British cycling.

The world-class velodrome has hosted major championships

Dave Brailsford, an increasingly familiar name, is the man at the helm of the nation's cycling excellence having taken over as performance director at the centre, and he has delivered consistent medals at major events. His leadership has included ensuring British elite cyclists live in or near Manchester and train together at the centre, and he has implemented the philosophy of marginal gains in order to improve the athletes. Brailsford's ideas have been integral in utilising the world-class Cycling Centre to its full potential in developing British elite cyclists.

Now as Autumn 2012 is falling, and British Cycling looks back on another astonishingly dominant and successful Olympic Games in London, it is once again pointing to the superb training facilities in Manchester and the leadership of Brailsford as the key to its success. One can only wonder whether England's football team will return home from a victorious 2034 World Cup pointing to St. George’s Park as the catalyst for its success. St. George’s Park certainly holds the same potential for transforming England into a world-beating football side as the Manchester Velodrome did in turning British Cycling in the world's best cycling team, of that there is no doubt.

The park in Burton upon Trent will be home to all 24 England teams from junior to senior level. Its houses 12 full-size pitches, a sports medicine centre, a sprint track, a running hill, an altitude chamber and a Hilton hotel. It will also be the main home of the Football Association (FA) for training and producing coaches, and thus the elite development of players.

Whilst St. George’s Park is the venue, the ideas coming with it are what may transform English football though. Just as the Manchester Velodrome is the world-class venue for cycling, it is Dave Brailsford that has brought the concepts and leadership that have transformed British Cycling. And the job of the FA now is to use its facility effectively.

Spain's focus on technique has won them trophies

The new park is to produce thousands of more qualified coaches to improve English football (Spain, Holland and Germany already have ten times as many coaches as England.) Furthermore, there will be a focus on technical ability rather than the sole focus of winning, something other footballing nations already do. The grouping together of all the football teams will also help in creating a sense of identity and unity within English football. And finally the facilities themselves, those of rehabilitation and training, of medical resources and education, are the best in world, things that should result in no less than immediate positive effects on English football.

The FA is rightly proud of its new investment. It will be an overwhelming disappointment if this centre doesn’t deliver a long-term improvement in the national game. The National Cycling Centre in Manchester has shown what a world-class facility can do for national sport, and now we play the long waiting game, fingers-crossed, hoping that St. George’s Park can do the same. World Cup 2034, here we come.

Olympic Legacy

So it came and went; the greatest games. Seven years in the making, a month in the happening, and who knows how long in the lasting. And it is ‘legacy’ that has been the buzz word used throughout this summer to describe the long-term impact of London 2012 on this city and this country. But what will be the real lasting legacy?

Games-Makers created a friendly spirit

The friendly and happy vibe emanating through England’s capital city, partly courtesy of the much-lauded ‘Games-Makers’, was a key component of London 2012. Many asked could this be the start of a friendlier, happier London? I think not. London knows how to put on a smile when it wants to, the Diamond Jubilee celebrations showed that. But too often it just doesn’t want to. On the tube, stuck in the rush hour at a red signal, on a cold monday morning, people just can't be bothered to talk to each other. When a chance to celebrate and show-off Britain comes, we know how to do it and we do it in style. But just because we did it during the Olympic games, don’t expect ‘friendly London’ to become the norm. Friendliness isn’t the legacy of London 2012.

What about how the world's perception of us? Mitt Romney’s gaffe in doubting the games only served to highlight how successful London 2012 was. There is no doubt the world was highly impressed by the show we put on, and our sporting infrastructure (Sepp Blatter are you listening?.) But just because we put on what was quite frankly the greatest sporting event ever, I can't see Syria cosying up to us all of a sudden. We may have impressed the world, but better international perceptions aren't the real lasting legacy of London 2012.

Ennis claims Heptathlon glory

Perhaps the significant legacy from this summer will be what Seb Coe and his team aimed for all along; to ‘inspire a generation’. Sporting club memberships have quadrupled in the aftermath of the games. Stratford is the home to a new permanent Olympic-sized swimming pool, a big boost for swimming when you consider the UK has less pools than Paris alone. East London will also house a new Velo-park, a further enhancement to Cycling facilities, a sport that we excel at and continue to develop an interest in. Athletics has been inspired by the glorious victories of Farah, Ennis and Rutherford, whilst ‘lesser’ sports such as shooting, white-water kayaking and taekwondo have all been given a more prominent feature by GB’s gold medal successes.

More significant perhaps than the boost to individual sports however is the recognition of the important role of sport in this country, something these games have highlighted. This summer the country has experienced the emotional roller coaster that only sport can bring, the highs and lows, the tears and the shouts, the pain and the joy. It has united a country, and brought us together. It overrides all other emotions and inspires us all. Let us hope that this is the real legacy from London 2012, that we understand the important role in society sport has in bringing us together, in uniting a nation, in learning how to celebrate and grieve.

Games strap-line: 'Inspire a generation'

So yes, the real legacy of London 2012 is in sport itself. Oh, London knows how to celebrate and be friendly when it wants too, the world is probably rather impressed with us too, but the interest in sport is higher than ever, and the realisation of the key role of sport in society is being fully appreciated. So Mr. Cameron, please don’t sell off all these sports fields. Sport is important to this country, and the realisation of that is the real legacy of London 2012.