10 Most Inspirational Moments in Football History [Ranked]

Football is packed with inspirational moments. The very best of them have fans recalling and even attempting to create them for years afterwards.

So selecting the top 10 inspirational moments of all time is no easy task. In the end, Carlos Alberto scoring Brazil’s iconic fourth goal in the 1970 World Cup Final in Mexico ranks as number one on this particular list. For such a loved side to top off a tournament with such a memorable goal remains a very special moment in football history.

Of course, there are many other great moments, with the vast majority of them carried out on the world’s biggest stage and the best players, although this is not always the case.

Ranking Factors

• Determination – fighting spirit and refusing to give up are inspiring characteristics.
• Beauty – the skill and craftsmanship of the moment.
• Poignancy – what the moment meant in the wider scheme of things.

10 Marco van Basten’s Iconic Volley

Unforgettable goal for the Netherlands in the Euro 88 final

The Dutch teams of the 1970s are synonymous with total football, a modern way of playing when it came to pressing the opposition and passing the ball. Yet they fell just short of becoming World Champions in both 1974 and 1978, when they lost to West Germany and Argentina, the hosts, in both finals.

The Netherlands had a resurgence in the late 1980s, in a team blessed with the talents of Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard and, of course, Marco van Basten, who had taken Euro 88 by storm, with a hat-trick against England and semi-final winner two minutes from time versus West Germany. Then, in the final, with the Dutch one-nil up from a first-half Gullit header, van Basten scored one of the most famous volleys of all time, when he belted in from a tight angle to give the Netherlands their first international title.

9 Siphiwe Tshabalala’s Scores For South Africa in 2010 World Cup

‘Goal for South Africa, goal for all Africa’

The 2010 World Cup in South Africa was hugely significant as it was the first time an African nation had hosted the tournament. Therefore, there was some pressure on the African sides to leave their mark on this occasion.

It was in Soccer City in Johannesburg, where South Africa opened the tournament with Mexico, where Kaiser Chiefs winger Siphiwe Tshabalala scored a wonderful goal to get the tournament up and running and for commentator Peter Drury to provide some of the most iconic and inspiring commentary, when he shouted ‘Goal for South Africa, goal for all Africa’.

8 Sergio Aguero’s Premier League Clincher

Last-gasp winner seals 2012 title for Manchester City

It looked as though Manchester City had thrown the chance to win the Premier League away, when in the last game of the season they trailed Queens Park Rangers 2-1 going into injury time at the Etihad. Edin Dzeko equalised for City, but they needed a win to deny their local rivals Manchester United the title.

As the game went into the ninety-fourth minute, City striker Mario Balotelli fell in possession as he approached the QPR penalty area. Although on the floor, he still managed to thread the ball through to Sergio Aguero, who sidestepped a defender before drilling home, meaning City had won the title on goal difference.

7 Michael Thomas at Anfield

Late winner seals shock 1989 title for Arsenal

Arsenal went to Anfield on a Friday night for the last game of the 1988/89 season, requiring a win by two clear goals if they were to win the English first division. Given Liverpool had dominated the decade, it seemed very unlikely that the Gunners would achieve this, but they did take the lead through an Alan Smith header.

With the game going into injury time, that still wouldn’t have been enough. However, Arsenal keeper John Lukic threw the ball out to right-back Lee Dixon, whose long ball was flicked on by Alan Smith into the path of Michael Thomas. He evaded several Liverpool challenges before clipping the ball into Liverpool’s net. Both teams had the same plus 37 goal difference, but the Gunners won the title for the higher number of goals scored. It was so inspirational it even helped inspire the hit book and then film Fever Pitch.

6 Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Seals the Treble

Manchester United’s striker bags Champions League winnner

Manchester United had been in imperious form all season, already claiming the Premier League and FA Cup before they went to Barcelona to face Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League Final. In that game, they were second-best throughout.

Missing Roy Keane and Paul Scholes, who were both suspended, United were very fortunate not to have been more than one goal down until those last few minutes ticked down, when Teddy Sheringham equalised, then two minutes later, with the clock on ninety-three minutes, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reacted to Sheringham’s knock down from a Beckham corner to stab the ball high into the Bayern net for a famous victory.

5 Leicester City Win 2016 Premier League Title

In many ways, Leicester City winning the Premier League was the biggest shock in football history. They finished the 2014/15 Premier League season in fourteenth place, three points behind West Brom with 41 points. So, there was no warning at all at what would come to pass the following season, when they shocked British football by winning the Premier League title, scoring an additional 40 points.

A 3-1 away win over Manchester City in February showed the Foxes were serious contenders. On 1 May, Leicester drew with Manchester United, leaving Spurs having to beat Chelsea to prevent the Foxes from winning the title. The ensuing 2-2 draw meant Leicester City had done the seemingly impossible and won the league.

4 Liverpool’s Miracle of Istanbul

Reds come back from 3-0 down to win 2005 Champions League

At half-time in the 2005 Champions League final Liverpool were grateful to go in only three-nil down. During the first half they had been ripped to shreds by AC Milan’s scintillating attacking play, leaving some to suggest they’d be better off not playing the second half, but they did. Inspired by their captain Steven Gerrard and his Man of the Match display, Liverpool got a goal back through Gerrard on 54 minutes. Seven minutes later they were level.

The game eventually went to a penalty shoot-out. When Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek saved Andriy Shevchenko’s spot kick, Liverpool had completed one of the most remarkable comebacks in European football history.

3 Diego Maradona’s Goal of the Century

The Argentina skipper lit up the 1986 World Cup with his skills

Diego Maradona was a special talent who was superb during the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. One of his most iconic performances in that tournament came in the quarter-final stage against England, in which he scored two goals that are still talked about today.

The first, which is referred to as the Hand of God, when he out-jumped Peter Shilton to use his hand to tap the ball past the goalkeeper was blatant cheating, but the second was utter brilliance, as he sashayed past most of the England team over the course of half a pitch before calmly slotted the ball into an empty net.

2 Messi Leads Argentina to 2022 World Cup

The serial Ballon d’Or winner rolled back the years in his fifth World Cup

For a player with remarkable talent, who achieved so much, Lionel Messi still lived somewhat in the shadow of fellow countryman Diego Maradona, for what he did to lead Argentina to winning the World Cup in 1986. Messi had tried, leading his country to the 2018 final, where they lost to Germany.

Aged 35 by the time the Qatar World Cup came by, it was felt he was past his best, but during the tournament, he put on a masterclass, particularly in the semi-final and final itself, where he scored two goals and converted a spot kick in the penalty shoot-out that saw Argentina World Champions for the first time in 36 years as he finally secured his status at the greatest to ever grace the sport.

1 Carlos Alberto For Brazil in 1970 World Cup Final

His timeless goal makes the game look beautiful

It is the swagger, verve and sheer brilliance of Brazil’s goal against Italy in the 1970 World Cup Final that ranks number one. By the time Carlos Alberto had raced up the right flank to meet Pele’s perfectly weighted pass with a rocket of strike, Brazil had already won the World Cup.

3-1 up with four minutes left to play, they had played some superb football throughout the tournament and are probably the most popular World Cup winners of all time. This goal, which sees Brazil take the ball from one end to the other, remains a beautiful example of skill, speed, power and desire – it will forever recreated and recollected by true football fans.