Top 10 International Goals

I've decided to do something different for this week's non-Premier League top 10 and with this week being an international break, I've decided to do an international related top 10.

This week's non-Premier League top 10 is International Goals.

Many great goals have been scored at every level of international football including friendlies and qualifiers.

But it's the ones in major tournaments that get remembered best as they've come on a bigger stage and get talked about the most.

But there are still great goals in qualifiers in friendlies that do get remembered and a few of them are on the list.

The goals on the list are of mixture of goals scored in major tournaments, qualifiers and friendlies and here it is:

Diego Maradona - Argentina v England - 1986

Paul Gascoigne - England v Scotland - 1996

James Rodriguez - Colombia v Uruguay - 2014

Zlatan Ibrahimovic - Sweden v England - 2012

Marco Van Basten - Soviet Union v Holland - 1988

Jude Bellingham - England v Slovakia - 2024

David Beckham - England v Greece - 2001

Dennis Bergkamp - Holland v Argentina - 1998

Patrik Schick - Scotlaand v Czech Republic - 2021

Michael Owen - England v Argentina - 1998

10. Dennis Bergkamp - Holland v Argentina

Bergkamp's goal against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup was right up there among the best goals he ever scored and the best goals at the tournament itself.

He received the ball from Frank De Boer's long pass with an incredible first touch before sending the Argentina defender the wrong way and later hitting the ball with the outside of his boot into the top corner.

Bergkamp was capable of doing almost anything with the ball at his feet and this goal was among them and right up there with the best goals he ever scored.

9. Jude Bellingham - England v Slovakia

I've written about this goal on at least two other international top 10's in England Moments and England Goals and it's getting another mention in this one.

As I wrote before in those respective top 10's, England were a matter of seconds away from an embarrassing exit at the Euros last year and needed something from somewhere to keep their hopes alive.

Up stepped Bellingham who scored an incredible bicycle kick deep into added time to send the game to extra time.

The ball came into the box from Kyle Walker's throw-in before it was flicked on by Marc Guehi towards Bellingham who came up with the moment of magic.

I remember feeling miserable for most of the game because of how poorly England were playing and this goal got me off my seat.

8. David Beckham - England v Greece

Another goal I've written about in previous top 10's that is getting another mention in this one.

Beckham's free kick against Greece was an important goal for England in the game as it was the goal that sent them to the 2002 World Cup, and it was also an important moment for Beckham himself as it got him back on side with the England fans after spending the previous few years trying to fix his relationship with them following his sending off against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup after which he received a lot of abuse.

England were just seconds away from losing to Greece and needed just a point to see themselves through to the World Cup in 2002.

They were given a free kick about 20 yards out from goal and needed something to come from it if they were to salvage something from the game.

Beckham stepped up and provided that moment of magic by going for goal and striking the ball into the top corner to send England to the World Cup finals.

7. Michael Owen - England v Argentina

Owen's goal against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup is another goal that I have written about in previous international top 10's and in particular two of the England ones I did.

He announced himself on the world stage with this goal at the of just 18 and he scored it by going on a solo run where he used his pace to beat two Argentina defenders before striking the ball into the top corner.

His first touch when he received the ball from David Beckham's deflected pass was first class and so was the finish.

6. Paul Gascoigne - England v Scotland

When I did my international top 10's during the summer Gazza was mentioned in almost every single one of them and he's getting another mention in this one.

His goal against Scotland at Euro 96 is another goal I've written about in previous international top 10's and in particular two of the England ones in moments and goals.

He lifted the ball over the Scotland defender with his first touch when he received the ball mid air before striking it first time on the volley and into the bottom corner.

The goal itself was iconic and so too was the celebration which was of course called the dentist chair.

5. Patrik Schick - Scotland v Czech Republic

Schick's goal against Scotland at Euro 2020 came just inside the Scotland half and he took the shot with his first touch.

The Czech had just stopped a Scotland attack in the lead up to the goal and the ball rolled into the Scotland half after the Czech blocked a the shot.

When Schick saw Scotland keeper David Marshall off his line, he decided to go for the shot and score an incredible goal which later won the PUSCAS award.

4. Marco Van Basten - Soviet Union v Holland

Van Basten was one of the finest finishers of his generation and his goal against the Soviet Union in the final of Euro 88 was an example of the kind of goals he could score.

The cross came into him from the left hand side and he hit the ball first time on the volley from a tight angle on the right side of the penalty area.

If anyone is interested in replicating this goal, good luck because the technique is not easy to pull off and especially from the angle Van Basten scored it from.

3. James Rodriguez - Colombia v Uruguay

Rodriguez's goal against Uruguay at the 2014 World Cup was the best goal at the tournament and it was even voted as the best goal at the tournament.

The technique for the goal was brilliant as he controlled the ball on his chest before striking it with his left foot first time on the volley.

He netted twice in this game with this goal being the first and by far the best of the two he scored.

2. Zlatan Ibrahimovic - Sweden v England

Zlatan's goal against England was just outrageous and a deserved winner of the PUSCAS award.

Sweden got the ball up the pitch and after Joe Hart went out of his box to head the ball away, Zlatan went for the spectacular and scored an incredible bicycle kick 30 yards from goal.

He scored a number of great goals right throughout his career because of how flexible he was and this goal might be the best one he ever scored.

1. Diego Maradona - Argentina v England

Maradona's goal against England at the 1986 World Cup had to be my no.1 because it won the goal of the century award and was a brilliant goal to watch.

The build up to the goal started with him inside his own half before he later went on an incredible solo run during which he beat five England players, including Peter Shilton in the England goal, before putting the ball in the net.

This goal was Maradona at his brilliant best and he was at his brilliant best throughout the entire tournament as he led Argentina to glory pretty much single-handedly.

MY TOP 10:

1. Diego Maradona - Argentina v England

2. Zlatan Ibrahimovic - Sweden v England

3. James Rodriguez - Colombia v Uruguay

4. Marco Van Basten - Soviet Union v Holland

5. Patrick Schick - Scotland v Czech Republic

6. Paul Gascoigne - England v Scotland

7. Michael Owen - England v Argentina

8. David Beckham - England v Greece

9. Jude Bellingham - England v Slovakia

10. Dennis Bergkamp - Holland v Argentina