From North America (MLS, Mexico) to South America (Argentina, Brazil and all the rest), the best goals of 2008:
USA (MLS)
MLS best goals 2008 (53 goals by Beckham, Blanco, Angel, Gallardo et al.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=8lJtIYJCS8s
David Beckham (LA Galaxy) vs. Real Salt Lake (2) 5.03.08 (The man can still do what he’s always done best.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=FJSpIueB6Ak&feature=related
Marcelo “El Muneco” Gallardo (DC United) vs. Real Salt Lake 4.26.08 (Full volley, pure skill, grand footballer.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Kz3Zd4NtU-s
Marcelo Gallardo (DC United) vs. Chivas USA 5.17.08 (A decade after his glory days with River, “El Muneco” is the deadliest scorer in North America.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec8Ti73a_Qk&feature=related
Top ten de Cuauhtemoc Blanco en la MLS. (The great Mexican player, showing the U.S. how it’s done–his several goals on this clip all among the best of the year in the MLS.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=kbrc6njFYZA&feature=related
Superliga 2008 (MLS / Liga Mexicana)
Christian “El Hobbit” Bermudez (Atlante) vs. DC United 7.16.08 (Golazo by the diminutive teenager, for the victory on unwelcoming norteamericano soil.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=TIchyJzhhAc&feature=related
Damian “La Chilendrina” Alvarez (Pachuca) vs. Santos Laguna 7.21.08 (The veteran Argentine forward scores impressively for Pachuca fifty seconds into the clip.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fyP6ynsm3lc
Mexico
Hugo Droguett (Tecos de UAG) vs. Atlante 2.03.08 (The incandescent Droguett scores the first and makes the second in Tecos’ surprising away win over reigning champions Atlante.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=w-xJgEZLoBU&feature=related
Fernando Arce (Santos Laguna)(2) vs. Tecos 3.30.08 (See the final goal on this short clip–the match finished off by the skillful Arce.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=dOBmuGQD2GY
Fernando Arce (Santos Laguna) vs. Tigres 4.26.08 (The clever midfielder Arce shows his great control and touch as he chips the keeper at 1:14 of this clip.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=WfxqOzJqRtw&feature=related
Daniel Emmanuel Luduena (Santos Laguna) vs. Cruz Azul (Clausura gran final–return leg) 6.02.08 (The goal by the marvelous Argentine midfielder “Hachita” Luduena makes small-club Santos the Clausura campeon.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=PEPpY7668FM
Alfredo Moreno (America) vs. Puebla 10.12.08 (This goal might be called orchestral: it includes a spectacular gambeta-cum-stepover that’s not showy but functional, serving to lose two bewildered defenders, followed by a quick blind pivot-on-a-penny, spin-on-a-grassblade to launch a beautiful shot across the body from distance off the underside of the bar–golazo-azo-azo for the Argentine forward they call “El Chango”, and for my money the goal of the year, anywhere. It’s worth watching from several angles. The third of these is perhaps the best clip.)
http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/1664267/
http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/1664269/
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9hC3-JjuR3o
Dario Botinelli (Atlas)(2) vs. Atlante 8.28.08 (Another transplanted Argentine having a fine season in Mexico, see particularly his second on this clip.)
http://www.clubatlas.tv/view_video.php?viewkey=110656874902f0737800&page=1&viewtype=&category=mr
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=0QPiZClK82o
Christian Correa (Pachuca) vs. Indios de Ciudad Juarez 8.30.08 (Lovely strike by Brazilian veteran scorer, couldn’t not include it.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=o34Iv_VPr8o
Mauricio Romero (Atlas) vs. Cruz Azul 8.23.08 (The chilena–overhead kick–of the year?)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=oFVXX4DJ5gc&NR=1
Hugo Droguett (Morelia) vs. Monterrey 9.20.08 (Golazo by the long-haired Chilean.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=bUcTj-fv1yA&feature=related
Christian “El Hobbit” Bermudez (Atlante) vs. America 9.22.08 (An authentic talent is born–here “the hobbit” beats Mexico’s best keeper, Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa of America.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rByAroSjPEw&feature=related
Andres “El Condor” Mendoza (Morelia) (2) vs. Necaxa 9.28.08 (The brilliant and temperamental Peruvian midfielder scores with force, will and finesse in Mexico.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=PByK4umqmUY
Andres “El Condor” Mendoza (Morelia) (hat trick) vs. Jaguares de Chiapas 11.02.08 (The Condor strikes again.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=TYG1Unn8Yb0
South America
Copa Libertadores ’08
compilations
Check out these two montage compilations and then ask yourself, which tournament contained more great goals, Euro 2008 or this one?
Grandes Goles de la Copa Libertadores (parte 1)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fEjg6ct9V5E
Grandes Goles de la Copa Libertadores (parte 2)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-j_evKgxLNg&feature=related
Juan Roman Riquelme (Boca Jrs) Copa Libertadores 2008. (Riquelme tournament highlights video, climaxing with his splendid free kick goal vs. Fluminense. This seven-minute records many of the wonderful touches, sublime passes, tricky gambetas and wicked shots in this tournament by the noble Roman, whose intuitive skills and commanding vision remain the center of the potent Boca attack.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=sCSk5m3teZQ&feature=related
Bruno “El Barullo” Marioni (Atlas de Guadalajara) all goals in copa libertadores 08. (Documents the heroic goals, decisive passes and acrobatic goal celebrations by the goleador of the copa, a one-man strike force keeping dark-horse Atlas in the running well past even their supporters’ wildest expectations.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=YdVtZqNYif0
individual goals
Mauricio “Mao” Molina (Santos) vs. Chivas de Guadalajara 3.04.08 (Individual goal of the tournament: the Colombian striker’s booming shot from well outside the area nearly brings rain, then just slips into Chivas keeper Luis Michel’s upper right corner, moving Santos to the top of its group)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=XY6kc2M_Ry4
Bruno Marioni (Atlas de Guadalajara)(2) vs. Boca Jrs 4.08.08 (The explosive Argentine forward, with something to prove against Argentine opponents in this tournament, carries his club on his shoulders through the difficult tie with Boca.)
Bruno Marioni (Atlas de Guadalajara) vs. Lanus 4.30.08 (Un gran taquito.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ZB48uTjOGXc&feature=related
Damian Manso (Liga de Quito) vs. Arsenal 3.26.08 (The brilliant midfielder Manso’s swerving free kick provides Liga’s third goal, his dream pass to Luis Bolanos their fourth, as Liga emerges from the group stages.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=XacrLJgNobQ&feature=related
Damian Manso (Liga de Quito) vs. San Lorenzo (quarter-final) 5.22.08 ( 1-0: another Manso free kick.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=s4xgNMDvhkU
Juan Roman Riquelme (Boca Jrs)(2) vs. Fluminense (semi-final, first leg) 5.29.08 (Riquelme scores at the end of a typically lovely Boca link play initiated as usual by himself and continued through Martin Palermo and Rodrigo Palacios; Flu’s big guns Thiago Silva and Thiago Neves then respond to gain the crucial away draw.) The first clip has English narration:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4XtBQH6djYI&feature=related
A second clip, spanish narration:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5la8f
Thiago Neves (Fluminense)(hat trick) vs. Liga de Quito ( final, return leg) 6.08 (two clips)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=lfhhuTbp5Yk&feature=related
http://www.dailymotion.com/related/x5zzap_fluminense-3-liga-universitaria-de_sport/video/x5x137_liga-4-fluminense-2-goles-bieler-gu_sport
Copa Sudamericana ’08
Juan Sebastian Veron (Estudiantes) vs. Botafogo (semi-final) 10.21.08 (Veron, with Riquelme still one of the two best Argentine players continuing to play in their native country, dominates this important tie, not only with this masterly–and alertly opportunistic–long strike, but with an even better pass that produces his club’s second goal, unfortunately not caught on this clip.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6TN4-AJHbmI&feature=related
Braulio Luna (San Luis) vs. Deportivo Quito 8.29.08 (Over the wall but under the moon for dead-ball artist Luna.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3kPUXxP1y18&feature=related
Brazil
Ibson (Flamengo) (hat trick) vs. Palmeiras 11.16.08 (A flashy show indeed from the quality striker on loan from Porto, the third goal a brilliant backheel.)
Argentina
Jairo Patino (Banfield) vs. Argentinos Jrs. 3.30.08 (The Colombian viejo remains a master scorer wherever he goes, as this excellent goal for Banfield shows.)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4w6ar_banfield-32-argentinos-juniors-21-p_sport
Martin Morel (Tigre) vs. Argentinos Jrs. 2.11.08 (An early inkling of a great scoring year for the leader of this overachieving little club–later in the year to become, thanks largely to Morel’s efforts, the popular favorite underdog in an Apertura title race against big clubs San Lorenzo and Boca.)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4c7dk_tigre-21-gimnasia-la-plata-11-morel_sport
Gabriel Hauche (Argentinos Jrs.) vs. Lanus 5.31.08 (Exquisitely finessed golazo launched on the run from outside left with enough mysterious torque to corkscrew the shot into the extreme top right corner.)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5ma5m_argentinos-juniors-30-lanus-20-hauc_sport
Agustin Pelletieri (Lanus) vs. Colon 2.23.08 (Another young Argentine with a bright future.)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4h66s_40-51m-pelletieri-lanus_sport
Damian Escudero (Velez) vs Boca Jrs. 5.24.08 (The rising figura “El Pichi” Escudero navigates at stutterstepping quickpace through two lines of defenders to finish expertly.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=YpoUHAJf5S0
Santiago Salcedo (Newell’s Old Boys) vs Gimnasia de Jujuy 6.16.08 (The kind of goal that caused this young sensation to draw a large transfer fee from River, where he then struggled.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MIGz7k0S7nA&feature=related
Matias Abelairas (River Plate) vs. Gimnasia la Plata 5.10.08 (A key figure in River’s title run, the young midfielder “El Pitu” here leads the “Millionaires” past Gimnasia, scoring their first–at 1:00 of the clip–with a running, turning strike across goal from distance, making their second for Buonanotte and then finishing the job by scoring their third on a sweet volley.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=hIGnIEO3cFo&feature=related
Diego Buonanotte (River Plate)(2) vs. Argentinos Jrs. 4.27.08 (With these two goals–River’s first and third on the clip–as his annunciation, el mago Buonanotte comes of age, at exactly the right time for Simeone’s River.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=pQo6f4EsD2c
Diego Buonanotte (River Plate) (2) vs. Olimpo (6.06.08) (Clausura, 18th round: River Campeon! — “…and a child shall lead them…”)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=LdZOpfrHGLM&feature=related
Cano de buonanotte a neri Diego Buonanotte (River Plate) vs. Boca Jrs 11.07 (This clip captures the backdrop to a legend: it was the cheeky Buonanotte gambeta in the previous November’s clasico against hated Boca–audaciously nutmegging hard man Neri Cardozo at the touchline–that first hinted of this wisp of a lad’s surprising competitive fires…not to mention his budding dramatic skills.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-2E1PsM9YI&feature=related
Nicholas Pavlovich (Argentinos Jrs.) vs. Gimnasia la Plata (9.13/14.08) (A pretty finish, and the raw footage of the halftime fracas/polemica captures essential local atmospherics: a night out in Argentina.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7Vz7cl4EHl4
Juan Roman Riquelme (Boca Jrs) vs. Arsenal 11.09.08 (A typical Riquelme free kick, and is it too much to suggest that there are few things in the world of athletics more aesthetically pleasing? The last few seconds of the replay catch something of this beauty here. Like a large awkward-looking long-legged waterbird taking flight, Roman glides forward toward the ball in one or two loping deliberate strides… and then the seeming ungainliness turns to fluent motion, stately elegance and grace, all in a fraction of a second: another score for Boca, and another minor masterpiece for the aficionados to savor.)
http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/1749737/
Juan Roman Riquelme–Temporada/season 2008 (Excellent video compilation of Riquelme skills, moves, passes and shots, exploring the mysteries of the enigmatic maestro who holds the keys to the perfect goal in Boca country: nice music track helps the interpretation, from “I’ve got soul but I’m not soldier” to the ballad of Riquelme, a man whose every act on the pitch seems to say “I am alone, isolated, unique.”)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=f0CkiEbjYrY
Carlos Ariel Recalde (Argentinos Jrs.) vs. Banfield 12.14.08 (Recalde drops this shocker in from somewhere out on the pampas.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=U5goqyzBQ0c&feature=related
shorter clip:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=YcHLzlMdA60
Gaston Aguirre (San Lorenzo) vs. Independiente 12.07.08 (Miraculous keeper-deconstructing footwork in front of goal by a portly defender who appears to have the touch of an angel mounted on the turning speed of an oil tanker —golazo!)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=uvzgzKL7BqE&NR=1
Rodrigo Palacio (Boca Jrs.) vs, San Lorenzo 12.20.08 (See the second Boca goal–a one-touch chain is begun in midfield by Riquelme, Palacio’s finish is enabled by Riquelme’s return pass, a brilliant volleyed flick on the run: this crucial goal eliminates San Lorenzo from the season-ending triangular Apertura championship playoff.)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=OOcKSKuE-ug&feature=related
… and in the end my quest for the year’s perfect goal leads me back to September, and a game of perfect goals that would not stop coming–was I watching or merely dreaming it all?
Cesar Carranza/Adrian Gonzales/Jorge Luna/Fabio Pieters, et al. Gimnasia Jujuy 4-3 Huracan 9.14. 08
(This last Argentine clip documents Gimnasia’s wild 4-3 victory in a match featuring the most thrilling exchange of brilliant goals anywhere on the planet in 2008–the goals start out great and, as the match tips back and forth, just keep getting better and better, what a night! Enjoy!)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=iL5faBEoBQc
longer version
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=121UWvGnYPk
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fx-8oy4MvGY&feature=related
addenda
2008 goal compilations
There are hundreds of these to be found on the internet; I’ll list only the one I liked best, plus a couple of representative samples.
Super goals 2008-2009. Great montage–“enjoy yourself, take only what you need”.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=WRUzPMVELR8&feature=related
Amazing soccer goals 2008. Another montage, mostly EPL, with miscellaneous goals from Europe incl. AC Milan, plus Mexico incl. Pachuca, Chivas.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rDfmuarBIts
Beautiful Goals 2008-2009. This one covers EPL and major European leagues as well as many unfamiliar goals from Poland and elsewhere in Eastern Europe.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ldLs92dY89A
best goal compilation sites, ongoing
The work of compiling great (and other) goals is conducted all year round on a daily basis by these two very useful sites.
Golo Do Ano
http://www.tvgolo.com/best_goal_of_the_week.php?subaction=showfull&id=1216553324&archive=&start_from=&ucat=57&
101 Great Goals
http://www.101greatgoals.com/
The Best Goals of 2008 – Navigation:
In Pursuit of the Elusive Perfect Goal: 2008
The Best Goals of 2008 – Part 1 (World Football)
The Best Goals of 2008 – Part 2 (England / Scotland)
The Best Goals of 2008 – Part 3 (Europe)
The Best Goals of 2008 – Part 4 (Americas)
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