15
Jun
Neymar!
Neymar!
Claudio Pizarro didn’t get much playing time this season for Bayern Munich, but when he did he usually scored, once even netting a hat-trick in the first half against Lille in the Champions League.
For the Peru national team, Pizarro has been indispensable for over a decade, and he proved so once again in Friday’s World Cup qualifier, scoring the only goal of the game in fantastic fashion.
I know you’re all worried sick that with the club season being over, you’re staring at a long summer devoid of daily golazos. But fear not, lads! The European Under-21 Championship is here to pick up the slack!
In the opening game between Italy and England, Napoli forward Lorenzo Insigne kicked off the competition in style, scoring this beautiful free kick for the match winner. Hopefully, the first of many fine goals we’ll see from the prestigious “youth” tournament that in 2011 gave birth to household names such as Juan Mata, Christian Eriksen, Javi Martinez and Daniel Sturridge.
If you want to make it onto the Fox Soccer blog, there are pretty much only three 100% surefire ways of doing so, no questions asked (not counting, of course, anything outrageous done or said by Mario Balotelli or Sepp Blatter):
A) invading the pitch;
B) getting into a physical fight with a referee; or
C) scoring a goal on a scorpion kick.
Congratulations to France Under-21 player Alexandre Coeff, who went with option C against, sigh, the United States side at the Toulon Tournament, an international competition for under-21 sides. France won the game 4-1, and needless to say probably also recorded the goal of the tournament.
Cue to Arsene Wenger and Newcastle’s Alan Pardew frantically fighting over the young Frenchman’s signature!
We’re not sure if Juan Roman Riquelme meant to cross it or actually score this breathtaking goal, but we’re sure glad the 34-year old decided to come back out of recent retirement. And apparently, he also still enjoys running away from his teammates when celebrating.
Riquelme’s goal ended up being the difference for Boca Juniors, who got past Corinthians 2-1 on aggregate in the Copa Libertadores Round of 16.
Keep doing you Riquelme.
Apparently it was a good weekend for long-distance strikes. First, we showed you Deportivo Quito’s fantastic goal from near midfield, but Evian’s Saber Khelifa one-upped that effort, scoring from deep within his OWN half!
Now that’s what we call pinpoint accuracy.
Chelsea fans, keep your eye on this kid.
Blues prospect Nathaniel Chalobah, who is on loan with Watford this season, scored this thunderous blast from about 30 yards out against Leicester. He hit it so hard, you can barely see the ball as it rockets into the net. My goodness!
It was an important goal, too. Chalobah’s strike was the difference in the game, keeping third-placed Watford’s hopes alive for automatic promotion to the Premier League. Had the Hornets lost, second-placed Hull City could have clinched promotion.
One last thing: Chalobah is only 18.
David Luiz is a central defender, but at times this season he’s also been deployed as a midfielder. As many of you know, Luiz has also been taken free kicks for Chelsea this year, as opposed to, say, Frank Lampard, Oscar, or Eden Hazard. Now we know why.
Luiz hit this absolute rocket from about 30 yards to give Chelsea the lead over Fulham on Wednesday. What a beautifully struck goal by Sideshow Bob!
Definitely a goal of the month!
Mario Balotelli carried his fine form since returning to AC Milan over to Italy’s national team, scoring this fine strike in a friendly match against Brazil! The score tied the game between the two world powers at 2-2, which is how it ended.
Can anyone stop Super Mario at the moment? Doesn’t look like it.
Newcastle striker Papiss Cisse wowed us last year with that beautiful volley against Chelsea, a goal many said was the season’s best.
Today, Cisse was up to his old tricks and scored a wonderful goal against Southampton: a thunderous dipping volley off one bounce, about 30 yards away. Now that’s certainly the goal of the weekend (with apologies to Rafael) and a Goal of the Month Nominee! #GOMonFOX
