Goals, goals and more goals. Football is many things to many people, but the one thing that matters more than anything else when it comes to the game is goals.
It is what we watch the sport for. It can be the deciding factor in our mood for the day, the weekend or longer, depending on the magnitude of the game. Some goals go down in footballing folklore: the Hand of God, "corner taken quickly", Dennis Bergkamp's turn against Newcastle United and many, many more.
We even have the Puskas Award every year to nominate and congratulate those who score the most impressive ones every year, but only one can win that award.
So, with that in mind, Football FanCast has created a list of the best Puskas-nominated goals to miss out on the top prize for you to enjoy.
10 Robin van Persie v Spain – 2014
The 2014 World Cup in Brazil is one of the greatest-ever editions of the tournament, with countless moments that still live on to this day, like James Rodríguez's strike for Colombia or Germany's 7-1 semi-final demolition of the hosts.
But, there is one goal that, for us, stands above the rest – Robin van Persie's diving header.
Spain's clash against the Netherlands was one of the tournament's most eagerly anticipated group games; it was a repeat of the previous final, after all. The Spanish were, unsurprisingly, favourites going into the clash, but a resurgent Dutch side blew the reigning champions out of the water and won 5-1.
It was the Spanish that scored first and looked to be going into half-time 1-0 up, but Van Persie had other ideas. Daley Blind had the ball on the halfway line and saw the Manchester United striker making a run, and played a world-class cross into the box – a cross that Van Persie flew through the air to get his head on, which resulted in the ball looping over the head of Iker Casillas and into the net.
If anyone can find us a better-headed goal, we would love to see it.
9 Theo Hernandez v Atalanta – 2022
Now, what's better than running half of the pitch to score a screamer? How about running the entire length of the pitch?
Well, that is precisely what AC Milan and France full-back Theo Hernandez did before scoring his wonder-goal against Atalanta in a Serie A match in May 2022.
He picked up the ball from just outside his own penalty area, beat three players and then drove his shot hard and low to nestle it into the far corner.
The only reason it isn't higher on the list is due to some genuinely woeful defending from Atalanta…
8 Lionel Messi v Athletic Bilbao – 2015
You cannot have a list like this and not include Lionel Messi, and so for his contribution, we have chosen his goal against Athletic Bilbao in the 2015 Copa del Rey final.
The Argentina legend picked up the ball from the halfway line before accelerating down the wing, beating three men out wide before cutting in, beating another and then lashing the ball into the near corner to open the scoring for Barcelona – they would eventually win 3-1, and he would score another.
The goal was a real demonstration of Messi's close control and technical ability, but it was also a great display of his decision-making, as before he starts the move off, you can see him standing with the ball at his feet, assessing whether he should pass or run – and we are thankful he chose the latter.
7 Patrik Schick v Scotland – 2021
The 2020 European Championship was a strange tournament; it took place across the continent, was played in front of half-filled crowds, England made it to an international final, and it wasn't even played in 2020, but there were, at least, a lot of excellent goals, chief amongst them Patrik Schick's effort against Scotland.
It was the team's first game of the group stages, and with the Czech Republic 1-0 up, you might think they would be playing it safe to see out a win, but that was not the case.
With Scotland going all-out to find an equaliser, the Czechs won the ball back and got it to Schick on the halfway line. The Bayer Leverkusen man took two steps before looking up and spotted that David Marshall was off his line, so he took a first-time shot and put just enough power behind it that the ball sailed over Marshall's head and under the crossbar to double their lead.
Hampden Park fell silent – well, apart from the pocket of travelling fans behind the goal who proceeded to go absolutely potty, and who could blame them?
6 Mario Balotelli v Goztepe – 2022
He might be better known for outlandish parties and crazy hi-jinks, but Mario Balotelli has always been a supremely talented footballer, and his goal for Turkish outfit Adana Demirspor against Goztepe is the perfect reminder of that.
He picked up the ball on the edge of the penalty area and completed eight stepovers – yes, eight – before getting past his man and finishing into the far corner with a rabona.
Only Balotelli could score such a frankly outrageous goal in a competitive match, and we love him for that.
5 Andre-Pierre Gignac v Pumas – 2020
This is the only nomination on our list from the Mexican League, and it sure is a cracker.
Veteran French striker Andre-Pierre Gignac joined Mexican giants Tigres in the summer of 2015 and has been playing there ever since, but his best goal for the club came in 2020 in a league game against fellow giants PUMAS.
The goal itself was a stunning overhead scissor-kick, but that description alone does not do it justice.
It was impressive because he was on the edge of the PUMAS box, surrounded by three defenders and had to control a cross delivered from the halfway line, but he made it look easy.
4 Dimitri Payet v PAOK Thessaloniki – 2022
Few things in football elicit quite the response that a thunderous long-range effort does. There is just something in all of us that when we see someone lining up a shot from outside the area, we can't help but shout 'shoot!', and in the case of Dimitri Payet here, he duly obliged.
It was in a game for Marseille against Greek side PAOK late last season, and to call it a thunderbolt would be an understatement.
The former West Ham star was standing about 30 yards away from the goal while his side took the corner. The ball came to him, and he absolutely leathered it on the half-volley, giving the 'keeper no chance of stopping it.
Top bins doesn't do it justice, and if there has been a better long-range effort in the last five years, we have yet to see it.
3 Richarlison v Serbia – 2022
On to our last inclusion from last year's nominations, and it's a doozy.
The World Cup was brimming with brilliant goals from the word go, right up to the final whistle in December. Still, for our money, the best goal of the tournament was Brazil's second goal against Serbia, scored by Tottenham Hotspur's Richarlison.
The Spurs forward made a run into the box, got into the best position he could in the time he had, and when Rodrygo's cross came in, he scored an outstanding bicycle kick.
There are few sights better in football than a beautifully acrobatic bicycle kick, and the fans seem to agree as the official goal was voted as the goal of the tournament.
Unfortunately, FIFA won't let you watch the goal here, but here it is if you're desperate to see it again…
2 Wayne Rooney v Manchester City – 2011
Come on now, we couldn't do a list of Puskas nominees and not include Wayne Rooney for his out-of-this-world effort against Manchester City in 2011.
The goal was a thing of beauty. The cross from Nani was pinpoint-accurate, and the acrobatic leap to get into position from Rooney was equally perfect, only to be rounded off with a strike so sweet that Joe Hart could barely even move before the ball sailed past his head into the far corner.
It truly is the perfect example of an overhead/bicycle kick goal, and the fact that it was scored against United's local rivals and title rivals at the time only makes it that much more impressive.
If anyone ever asks what made Wazza so special, show them this video.
1 Jack Wilshere v Norwich City – 2013
The latter years of Arsene Wenger's Arsenal tenure might not have brought much to the club in the way of significant success – bar some FA Cups – but one thing that was always guaranteed under Le Professeur was beautiful football.
There may be no greater example of this fact in the Emirates era than Jack Wilshere's stunning goal against Norwich City 10 years ago. That said, it feels wrong to call it Wilshere's goal, given how much of its beauty is in the team play.
The move starts as Wilshere picks up the ball outside the Arsenal penalty area before two passes bring the play to the Canaries' box. A quick display of masterful interplay between himself, Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud play Wilshere into the area, where he gently finished past a dumbfounded John Ruddy in the Norwich net.
This goal is undoubtedly one of the best ever scored in the Premier League and perfectly encapsulates what Arsenal were all about under the eternal Wenger.