Football
The best goals in European Championship history
![bicycle kick](https://www.sportingferret.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/bicycle-kick.jpeg)
The best goals in European Championship history
Patrik Schick’s wonder goal against Scotland will undoubtedly go down as one of if not the goal of the tournament. As well as already being talked about as of of the greatest European Championship strikes of all time. But how does it compare to other legendary Euro’s goals.
1o. Panenka v Germany – 1976
Antonin Panenka scored the winning penalty for Czechoslovakia in the final of the 1976 European Championship with what can only be described as a stroke of genius which has gone down in football folklore. He chipped the ball down the middle of the goal fooling the keeper as he dived away from the ball. This chip shot penalty style is now famously named after him thanks to this shot.
? On this day in 1976, Antonin Panenka introduced us to the now known ‘Panenka’ penalty
Panenka won UEFA Euro 1976 with Czechoslovakia vs West Germany, scoring the winning penalty in the shootout by softly dinking the ball down the middle of the goal #ATG?
Ballsy. ? pic.twitter.com/D4dOUOvBr9
— Around The Grounds ? (@ArndTheGrnds) June 20, 2020
9. Zlatan Ibrahimović v France – 2012
In their final Euro 2012 group game against France, Sweden’s Zlatan Ibrahimović came up with a terrific volley to give them a 2-0 lead against the french. The ball came into the box from the right wing, and without taking a touch, Ibrahimović volleyed the ball from the edge of the box right into the bottom left corner with unbelievable power and accuracy.
8. Xherdan Shaqiri v Poland – 2016
There is rarely a more exquisite way of striking a football then a scissor kick. In 82nd-minute in Switzerland’s the last-16 match against Poland, Shaqiri equalized with a moment of magic as he scissor kicked the ball into the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the box. This goal won BBC Sports European Goal Contest with 36% of the votes.
Happy Birthday to Xherdan Shaqiri, here's a throwback to his bicycle kick vs Poland at the Euros. ?? pic.twitter.com/pBwdb5VLaR
— Elecspo (@elecspo) October 10, 2016
7. Maniche v Holland – 2004
In the semi-final of the 2004 European Championships, Nuno Maniche came up with a strike which was out of this world to defeat Netherlands and send his Portugal team into the final. He picked the ball up off of a quickly taken short corner from Cristiano Ronaldo and unleashed a venomous, precise bending shot straight into the top right corner of the net, past Edwin Van Der Sar.
??? | A quick corner kick from Cristiano Ronaldo and a bit of genius from Maniche to beat Edwin Van Der Sar.
This goal ensured a 2-1 victory over Holland and sent Portugal into the Euro 2004 final.@selecaoportugal | @UEFAcom_pt
pic.twitter.com/J8hVkuMm4P— Próxima Jornada (@ProximaJornada1) March 7, 2021
6. Zidane v England – 2004
In group B, England were beating France by a goal to nil thanks to Frank Lampard in the first half. The 3 lions were able to keep France at bay for the entirety of the second half until the 90th minute. Emile Heskey clumsily fouled Claude Makelele on the edge of the England penalty area. Up stepped arguably the best player in the world at the time, Zinedine Zidane who swerved home a superb free kick which surprisingly didn’t take the net off of the goal posts.
?? Describe Zinédine Zidane with an ?????!
⏪ An historic comeback was led by Zidane #OTD in 2004! His two late goals fire France to a 2-1 win over England!@equipedefrance | @FrenchTeam pic.twitter.com/A1yuDgJH4R
— UEFA EURO 2020 (@EURO2020) June 13, 2020
5. Patrik Schick v Scotland – 2020
The Czech’s strike was the longest-range goal at a European Championship in more than 30 years and it didn’t even bounce on the way in. He picked the ball up 51-yards away from the Scotland goal and hit it first time, sailing over Marshall’s head into the back of the net to give his side a 2-0 lead and eventually a 2-0 victory.
4. Davor Šuker v Denmark – 1996
With Croatia already 2-0 ahead, the then Danish goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel made his way up the pitch for a Denmark corner late on. However a devastating Croatia counter attack would break Danish hearts as Šuker picked up the ball half way into the Denmark half before running to the edge of the box and beautifully chipping the ball over the tired Schmeichel.
Goal of the Day. Davor Suker with this exquisite chip over Peter Schmeichel for Croatia against Denmark in Euro 96. #Cro #den #GoalOfTheDay pic.twitter.com/4rrjTHtfNP
— No Nonsense Football (@itsaftballthing) June 13, 2021
3. Gascoigne v Scotland – 1996
The flick, the finish and the celebration. All of this put together made this goal from Paul Gascoigne one of the greatest and most famous goals in English football history. The then Rangers man pick the ball up on the bounce outside the Scotland penalty area, before flicking it on the turn over the defender and without the ball touching the ground he was able to volley it into the net leaving the goalkeeper no chance.
#OnThisDay a quarter of a century ago, Paul Gascoigne scored one of the greatest ever Wembley goals.pic.twitter.com/KnlPvN79C2
— MUNDIAL (@MundialMag) June 15, 2021
2. Karel Poborsky v Portugal – 1996
In the quarter-finals of Euro 96, Czech Republic played Portugal at Villa Park. The game looked like it’d only need one goal to win it and that goal was a golden one. Poborsky picked up the ball in the 52nd minute deep into the Portuguese half. He somehow managed to beat 3 defenders before eloquently chipping the ball over the goalkeeper with such effortless technique to send Czech Republic into the semi-finals.
What’s your favourite Euros goal? ?
That time Karel Poborsky got the sand wedge out has to be up there. ? pic.twitter.com/GwHXJtbMpU
— The Football Faithful (@FootyFaithfuI) June 11, 2021
1. Marco van Basten v Soviet Union – 1988
Not only would it be regarded as one of the greatest goals in football, let alone a European Championship final. Marco Van Basten secured victory for Holland over the Soviet Union with a stunning first time volley from what seemed an impossible angle to give his side a 2-0 win in the European Championship final. The goal has gone down as one of the greatest goals the world has ever seen.
We hope you enjoyed the article ‘The best goals in European Championship history.’ Which goal is your favourite? Let us know!
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