Most memorable football moments from Maradona's ‘Hand of God' to Beckham's '98 red card, survey shows
The diminutive Argentinian broke English hearts in 1986 when he rose above Peter Shilton and punched the ball into the net.
6
Charman Craig Doughty said: 'Sometimes being rubbish at football really pays off'
Credit: PA Media
6
It went on to have its fortunes turned around by Specsavers with the help of Ella Toone, Gary Neville and Luke Littler
Credit: Anthony Upton © 2024
6
'We were struggling to get a team together last season,' said the team, after a 17-0 losing run
Credit: Anthony Upton © 2024
This was followed by Luis Suarez inexplicably biting I
Also making the top five were David Beckham's red card for kicking Diego Simeone and Frank Lampard's shockingly disallowed goal against Germany in the 2010 World Cup.
The study also revealed many amateur players had experienced their own horrors on the football pitch, with 23 per cent enduring a Ronnie Rosenthal-style open goal blunder.
The research was commissioned by Specsavers as part of its Best Worst Team series - inspired by such football faux pas, from missed goals to not hearing the refs whistle.
Read more in Football
The list of infamous moments on the pitch also highlighted Thierry Henry's blatant handball against Ireland in World Cup qualifying in 2009, often cited as a key reason for the introduction of VAR.
Club football was also represented, including the time Carlos Tevez didn't come off the bench as a substitute for
As was Darren Bent's famous 'Beach Ball Goal' – when the
But for those playing in parks and pitches up and down the country, 22 per cent have been left red faced when they wildly celebrated a goal, only to realise it had actually been ruled out.
Most read in Football
Whereas 12 per cent of goalies have let in an absolute howler and were left lying on the ground wishing it would open to swallow them.
The research, conducted via OnePoll.com, went on to find 78 per cent believe these unbelievably memorable moments are part of what makes football iconic, even if they can feel unfair.
Over a third (35 per cent) prefer football when it is 'unpredictable and chaotic', as opposed to a quarter (25 per cent) who'd rather a 'fair and structured' contest.
Tunley Athletic – which previously lost all 26 games, shipping 137 more goals than they scored in the process – took part in the Best Worst Team series.
Maradona scores infamous 'Hand of God' goal in the 1986 World Cup quarter final against England
It went on to have its fortunes turned around by Specsavers with the help of Ella Toone, Gary Neville and Luke Littler.
Charman Craig Doughty said: 'Sometimes being rubbish at football really pays off.
'While it sounds funny to say it, being crowned the Best Worst Team is honestly the best thing that ever happened to us.
'We were struggling to get a team together last season and we were on a 17-0 losing run.
"Team morale was at an all-time low, and we were close to folding the club.
'But this money-can't buy experience surpassed all our expectations – it was on another level.
"It's given everyone such a boost, and we actually started seeing better performances on the pitch.
'The whole community is still buzzing, and we've got loads of new players joined for the new season."
TOP 20 MOST MEMORABLE FOOTBALL MOMENTS EVER
Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God' goal vs England (1986)
Luis Suárez biting Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup (2014)
David Beckham's red card for kicking Diego Simeone (1998)
Frank Lampard's disallowed goal vs Germany – despite the ball clearly crossing the line (2010)
Brazil's 7–1 World Cup semi-final defeat at home to Germany (2014)
Thierry Henry's handball vs Ireland in World Cup qualifying (2009)
Rivaldo's fake injury theatrics against Turkey – getting a player sent off by feigning a face injury (2002)
Carlos Tevez refusing to come on as a substitute for Manchester City (2011)
The Battle of Nuremberg – Portugal vs Netherlands World Cup clash featuring 4 red cards and 16 yellows (2006)
The beach ball goal – Darren Bent's strike for Sunderland deflecting off an inflatable (2009)
Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer sent off for fighting each other as Newcastle teammates (2005)
Gazza's dentist chair celebration (1996)
The phantom goal scored by Reading against Watford that went through the side netting (2008)
Jimmy Glass, a goalkeeper, saves Carlisle from relegation with a 94th minute goal (1999)
Rene Higuita's scorpion kick (1995)
Ronnie Rosenthal's open goal miss for Liverpool (1992)
Graham Poll issuing three yellow cards to Josip Šimunić before sending him off (2006)
Loris Karius' double howler in the Champions League final (2018)
19. Robert Green's goalkeeping howler gifting the USA a goal in the World Cup (2010)
20. Graeme Souness plants a Galatasaray flag on Fenerbahçe's pitch (1996)
6
'Team morale was at an all-time low, and we were close to folding the club'
6
Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God' goal vs England (1986) was first in poll
Credit: Getty
6
78 per cent of fans say unforgettable moments – fair or not – make football truly iconic
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
4 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Jude Bellingham shows off huge scar after shoulder surgery as Real Madrid star recovers ahead of new season
REAL PAIN Jude Bellingham shows off huge scar after shoulder surgery as Real Madrid star recovers ahead of new season JUDE BELLINGHAM showed off a huge scar after undergoing shoulder surgery. The Real Madrid and England midfielder went under the knife at a London hospital three weeks ago. Advertisement 3 Jude Bellingham had a huge scar on his shoulder after surgery Credit: TikTok @seren44.d 3 Bellingham went under the knife three weeks ago in a London hospital Credit: Instagram @judebellingham And in a new photo that has surfaced on social media, Bellingham is now sporting a huge scar down his left shoulder. The 22-year-old shared a snap of himself in a hospital bed with a sling on after the surgery. He thanked doctors in his Instagram post, writing: "Thank you to Andrew Wallace and Susan Alexander, their team and everyone at Fortius Clinic for the surgery and hospitality. "To Ivan Ortega and Dr Leyes for travelling to support. Advertisement READ MORE IN FOOTBALL SORRY SIGHT Sky Sports forced to apologise as Soccer Saturday make three errors in one game "And finally, to everyone else for all the well wishes and messages of love. "The process to come back has already started, see you soon." Bellingham chose to undergo surgery after soldiering on through pain since 2023. He delayed going into hospital and managed the discomfort by wearing a brace during matches. Advertisement SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET £50 BONUS WHEN YOU JOIN It has been reported that Bellingham will miss around 10-12 weeks of action, meaning he will not return to the pitch until October. Aside from missing the start of the domestic season with Real Madrid, he will also be unavailable for England's World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia in September. 3 Bellingham will miss the start of the season as he recovers Credit: Getty
Irish Daily Mirror
4 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Alex O'Neill dethrones Sarah Healy to run out shock winner of 800m
Alex O'Neill dethroned Sarah Healy to run out a shock winner of the 800m at the Irish National Senior Championships in Santry, Dublin. European indoor 3000m champion Healy went into the race as the hot favourite having qualified fastest from the heats. But in a tactical race, once O'Neill kicked for home off a slow pace, the alarm bells began to ring for Healy. Boxed in by the eventual winner and Maeve O'Neill, Healy dug in and rallied up the inside lane in a barnstorming finish. But the line came up just in time for Clare woman Alex O'Neill to win her first national senior title and take Healy's scalp. O'Neill said: "I'm delighted. I haven't raced in a national championship in a while, so it's huge to get a senior title, an unbelievable feeling. "I've been feeling really strong lately and I was hoping it would go to a kick finish although I was a little bit apprehensive to do that after leading. "But I was just trying to keep them off at the bends and make them work that little bit extra." She added: "I was just trying to do as my coach said, to make my stride shorter and relax my face. I am not sure if I managed to do that, but it was great to be able to hold them off." There was also a thrilling finish to the men's 800m final as the two protagonists Mark English and Cian McPhillips engaged in a prolonged battle down the straight. But it was 32-year-old English, in the form of his life, who got the better of the younger man to win his tenth national title in a time of 1:48.76. Asked what has clicked this year, the Donegal man and Irish record holder said: "I changed coach back in November, and I've increased the volume a little bit, so I think they have been the differences. "After the indoor season, I went out to altitude again, so that might have had an effect too. But I guess it's just an accumulation of all the little changes I've made over the last year. "I'm hoping to have another race or two before the world championships. I can't wait for that as I'm in great shape at the minute." There was also a tenth national title for Sarah Lavin as she stormed away from the field to win the 100m hurdles in a time of 12.92. Having finished second to Sharlene Mawdsley in the 200m final on Saturday, Lavin excelled in her favourite discipline to stretch clear of silver medallist Molly Scott and bronze medallist Sarah Quinn. There was also a big winning distance in the men's 100m final as Bori Akinola streaked away to take gold. Into a headwind, the 23-year-old ran an impressive time of 10.29 to finish clear of Sean Aigboboh (10.41) and Lorcan Murphy (10.57). In the men's 5000m, Brian Fay attempted to nullify the speed of Andrew Coscoran by kicking for home early. But Coscoran, 29, had plenty in reserve to pass Fay up the home straight and go clear at the line in time of 13:34.14. Coscoran wasn't done there, though. Ninety minutes later, the Balbriggan man lined out in a stacked field for 1500m final. Cathal Doyle, looking for his fourth consecutive win in the race, made a decisive move to the front with 200m to go, though, and never let up to win in a time of 3:53.60. Coscoran looked to be showing the effects of his 5000m exertions when fifth coming around the final bend, but to his great credit, he powered up the straight to snatch second from Nick Griggs. In the women's 400m, Sophie Becker, in the absence of Sharlene Mawdsley, was the favourite to defend her title, and she did so in great style, hitting the line in 52.87, ahead of Rachael McCann and Cliodhna Manning. Becker's Donore Harriers' training partner Jack Raftery also went back-to-back in the men's 400m, clocking a winning time of 45.71 to finish ahead of five-time champion Chris O'Donnell and Ciaran Carthy.
Irish Times
4 hours ago
- Irish Times
Mark English claims 800m title over Cian McPhillips at National Championships
Not since the heydays of middle-distance running at Morton Stadium has there been a more popular and proven winner than Mark English . Nor a victory so deeply and deservedly celebrated. In the standout performance of the 153rd consecutive staging of the National Track & Field Championships, English was imperious in defending his 800m title, the Donegal runner turning the expected two-lap showdown against Cian McPhillips into a tactical masterclass. Most in attendance suspected the 32-year-old would have a race on his hands, and it looked that way coming into the homestretch when 23-year-old McPhillips sat right on his shoulder. Without once glancing back, English shifted gear again and simply blew him away, winning in 1:48.76, McPhillips second in 1:49.26. It made for a 10th outdoor title for English, to sit alongside his nine indoor titles, only this was clearly one to relish – the Finn Valley athlete punching the air as he crossed the line before promptly jogging back down the track to embrace the adulation. READ MORE 'I felt great. I had a plan and it worked out,' said English after the final. 'I knew Cian is in brilliant shape, has run the second fastest (Irish) time of all-time. He's a quality athlete, so I knew I'd have to execute the perfect race to win, and thankfully I did. And for all the support that's here for me today, that gives you a great bit of confidence before the race starts, and very pleased.' The sheer class of English eclipsed the other anticipated middle-distance showdown that was the men's 1,500m, in which Clonliffe Harriers' Cathal Doyle won his fourth consecutive title. Also running tactically astute, Doyle kicked hard around the final bend to win in 3:53.60 – his 52-second last lap enough to hold off the fast-finishing Andrew Coscoran , who grabbed silver in 3:53.84, just ahead of Nick Griggs (3:53.90). Coscoran was back on the track just over 90 minutes later to win the 5,000m in 13:34.14, needing a fast finish to see off Brian Fay. Alex O'Neill holds off Sarah Healy to win the women's 800m final. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho Six weeks out from the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Sarah Healy moved down to the 800m to test her speed, and tactics too, but had to surrender to the strength of Alex O'Neill, the Clare athlete winning in 2:04.53 after leading the entire last lap. 'Delighted, it's huge to get my first senior title,' said O'Neill, who runs with Limerick Track AC. 'I've been feeling really strong lately, but I was bit shocked the last 50, because I knew there were all there.' Healy finished a close second in 2:04.57, unable to find the space to get past O'Neill in the last 50m. In the absence Rhasidat Adeleke, the title of Ireland's fastest woman for 2025 went to Emerald AC's Ciara Neville, winning the 100m in 11.44 seconds six years after she first claimed the title as a teenager. 'Honestly, since winning my first title in 2019, it's just been such a battle with injuries,' said Neville, who finished clear of Lauren Roy (11.49). 'So this year I knew I was really coming back into myself, and I'm delighted. I have to give such credit to my coaching team down in Limerick.' Sarah Lavin during the women's 100m hurdles final. Photograph: Morgan Treacy Neville's training partner Sarah Lavin , racing for the fourth time in two days, claimed her 10th title in the 100m hurdles, 24 hours after finishing second to Sharlene Mawdsley in the 200m, her time of 12.92 well clear of Molly Scott (13.61). 'I just focused on my job, hurdle by hurdle, so clean and solid,' said Lavin. 'The thinking behind two events was I'm going to need to have the run of my life in Tokyo, on September 13th and 14th, and you're not going to feel super fresh after just running a heat. That was important, so very happy with that.' The title of Ireland's fastest man has rested with Israel Olatunde for the last four years, but an injury sustained in his semi-final earlier on Sunday forced the Tallaght AC sprinter to withdraw from the final. Olatunde would have needed to be at his absolute best to beat Bori Akinola, the 23-year-old from UCD, who won his first 100m title 10.29, just off his lifetime best of 10.25, adding to his 60m indoor title. Sean Aigboboh of Tallaght AC was second in 10.41. In the absence of Mawdsley, Sophie Becker dominated the women's 400m, winning in 52.87, while Jack Raftery won the men's title in 45.71. In the field events, Nicola Tuthill won her fourth hammer title in a new Irish under-23 record of 71.75m, while Reece Ademola from Leevale was also a class apart in the long jump with 8.0m. National Track and Field Championships, Santry (selected results) MEN 100m 1 Bori Akinola U.C.D. A.C. 10.29 2 Sean Aigboboh Tallaght A.C. 10.41 3 Lorcan Murphy Dundrum South Dublin A.C. 10.57 200m 1 Marcus Lawler Clonliffe Harriers A.C. 20.66 2 Darragh McConville Dundrum South Dublin A.C. 21.41 3 Adam Murphy Tinryland A.C. 21.51 400m 1 Jack Raftery Donore Harriers 45.71 2 Christopher O'Donnell North Sligo AC 46.27 3 Ciaran Carthy Dundrum South Dublin 46.34 800m 1 Mark English Finn Valley A.C. 1:48.76 2 Cian Mc Phillips U.C.D. A.C. 1:49.26 3 Andrew Thompson North Belfast Harriers 1:49.93 1,500m 1 Cathal Doyle Clonliffe Harriers A.C. 3:53.60 2 Andrew Coscoran Star of the Sea A.C 3:53.84 3 Nick Griggs CNDR Track A.C. 3:53.90 5,000m 1 Andrew Coscoran Star of the Sea A.C. 13:34.14 2 Brian Fay Raheny Shamrock A.C. 13:34.92 3 Jack O'Leary Mullingar Harriers A.C. 13:41.47 110m hurdles 1 Adam Nolan St. Laurence O'Toole A.C. 14.24 2 Gerard O'Donnell Carrick-on-Shannon A.C. 14.40 3 Conor Penney Craughwell A.C. 14.70 400m hurdles 1 Niall Carney Clonliffe Harriers A.C. 54.87 2 Briain Cullinan Sligo A.C. 54.89 3 Jason O'Reilly Killarney Valley A.C. 55.33 Shot Put 1 Eric Favors Raheny Shamrock A.C. 19.58 2 John Kelly Finn Valley A.C. 17.85 3 Callum Keating North Cork A.C. 14.67 Hammer 1 Sean Mockler of Moycarkey Coolcroo A.C 65.62 2 Simon Galligan Clonliffe Harriers A.C. 60.79m 3 Cóil Ó Muirí Fr. Murphy A.C. 56.68m Long jump 1 Reece Ademola Leevale AC 8.00 2 Sam Healy Leevale AC 7.53 3 Luke O'Carroll Tralee Harriers 7.15 High Jump 1 Conor Penney Craughwell A.C. 2.10 2 Mohammed Ibrahim Halil Raheny Shamrock A.C. 1.95 3 Darragh Kelly Craughwell A.C. 1.90 WOMEN 100m 1 Ciara Neville Emerald A.C. 11.44 2 Lauren Roy Fast Twitch A.C. 11.49 3 Mollie O'Reilly Dundrum South Dublin A.C. 11.60 200m 1 Sharlene Mawdsley Newport A.C. 23.55 2 Sarah Lavin Emerald A.C. 23.80 3 Lauren Roy Fast Twitch A.C. 23.88 400m 1 Sophie Becker Raheny Shamrock 52.87 2 Rachel McCann North Down AC 53.19 3 Cliodhna Manning Kilkenny City Harriers 53.99 800m 1 Alex O'Neill Limerick Track A.C. 2:04.53 2 Sarah Healy U.C.D. A.C. 2:04.57 3 Maeve O'Neill Doheny A.C. 2:04.69 1,500m 1 Laura Nicholson Bandon A.C. 4:13.32 2 Zoe Toland CNDR Track A.C. 4:15.11 3 Niamh Carr Dublin City Harriers A.C. 4:16.08 5,000m 1 Niamh Allen Leevale A.C. 15:35.90 2 Anika Thompson Leevale A.C. 15:40.56 3 Fiona Everard Bandon A.C. 16:04.36 100m hurdles 1 Sarah Lavin Emerald A.C. 12.92 2 Molly Scott St. Laurence O'Toole A.C. 13.61 3 Sarah Quinn St. Colmans South Mayo A.C. 13.84 400m hurdles 1 Cara Murphy Dundrum South Dublin A.C. 59.85 2 Ellis McHugh Ferrybank A.C. 1:00.13 3 Lauren Kilduff Craughwell A.C. 1:00.39 Hammer 1 Nicola Tuthill UCD AC 71.75m NU23R 2 Margaret Hayden Tallaght A.C. 60.22 3 Caoimhe Gallen Lifford Strabane A.C. 52.27
