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The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Most memorable football moments from Maradona's ‘Hand of God' to Beckham's '98 red card, survey shows
DIEGO Maradona's infamous 'Hand of God' has been crowned the most notorious football moment, according to a poll of fans. 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 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


Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Most memorable football moments from Maradona's ‘Hand of God' to Beckham's '98 red card, survey shows
Scroll down to see the full list of football's most shocking moments CREME DE LA PREM Most memorable football moments from Maradona's 'Hand of God' to Beckham's '98 red card, survey shows Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) DIEGO Maradona's infamous 'Hand of God' has been crowned the most notorious football moment, according to a poll of fans. The diminutive Argentinian broke English hearts in 1986 when he rose above Peter Shilton and punched the ball into the net. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 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 Italian Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup, according to the 2,000 football fans. 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 CUPS AND DOWNS Football's most iconic moments revealed including Hand of God & Gazza tears 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 Manchester City in a Champions League match against Bayern Munich 2011. As was Darren Bent's famous 'Beach Ball Goal' – when the Sunderland striker's shot took a huge deflection off a beach ball on the pitch against Liverpool, wrong footing Pepe Reina in goal. 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. 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 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


The Sun
an hour ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Most memorable football moments from Maradona's ‘Hand of God' to Beckham's '98 red card, survey shows
DIEGO Maradona's infamous 'Hand of God' has been crowned the most notorious football moment, according to a poll of fans. The diminutive Argentinian broke English hearts in 1986 when he rose above Peter Shilton and punched the ball into the net. 6 6 6 This was followed by Luis Suarez inexplicably biting I talian Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup, according to the 2,000 football fans. 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. 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 Manchester City in a Champions League match against Bayern Munich 2011. As was Darren Bent's famous 'Beach Ball Goal' – when the Sunderland striker's shot took a huge deflection off a beach ball on the pitch against Liverpool, wrong footing Pepe Reina in goal. 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. 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 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 6 6

Scotsman
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Highland charity thanks Inverness opticians for 'invaluable' Art Trail support
The organisers of a charity art trail have expressed their gratitude to an Inverness-based opticians and audiology store for their 'invaluable' support. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Highland Hospice, currently hosting the Highland HeArt Trail, has shared a 'huge thanks' to Specsavers in Inverness. The store has once again sponsored a sculpture in this year's trail, having previously offered the same support to the Go Nuts Art Trail in 2019 and The Great Heilan Coo Trail, held in 2022. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The current trail's sponsorship and fundraising will add to the £150,000 already raised from the first two events. Karen Duff (L) from Highland Hospice and Andrea Farrelly (R) from Specsavers in front of the heart artwork Highland HeArt Trail features 23 giant heart sculptures which have been painted by local artists from across the Highlands, then sponsored by local businesses. The Inverness store has proudly sponsored a hand-painted sculpture by Nairn-based artist Liz Peck and the residents of Eilean Dubh Care Home, which reflects memories and ideas shared by residents and staff. HeArt hunters can enjoy the sculptures at several locations across the region until the weekend of 23 and 24 August when all 23 HeArts will be gathered in a special 'HeArts in the Park' event at Bellfield Park in Inverness, before being auctioned on Friday 5 September 2025. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Karen Duff, corporate fundraiser at Highland Hospice, says: 'Highland HeArt Trail is Highland Hospice's third art trail of its type, with 23 colourful giant HeArt sculptures scattered across the city of Inverness and 13 other towns throughout the Highland region. 'Our previous two trails, the 'Go Nuts Squirrel Trail' and 'The Great Heilan Coo Trail' raised in the region of £150,000, which is a truly amazing amount. 'While some of this income came from donations and our end of trail auction, a huge portion was from corporate sponsorship, which is why the support we receive from businesses like Specsavers is invaluable to Highland Hospice. 'This revenue greatly helps us to fund the delivery of the right care in the right place at the right time, to our patients and their loved ones across the entire Highland region. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We want to say a huge thanks to Specsavers for their incredible support of the Highland HeArt Trail - it means so much to all of those who rely on our many services and support, often at a difficult time in their lives.' Andrea Farrelly, retail manager at Specsavers Inverness, adds: 'We've supported the Highland Hospice art trails for a few years now and it's something the whole team genuinely looks forward to. 'Not only do the sculptures bring so much colour and creativity to our city, but they raise vital funds for a cause that touches so many families locally. 'Being part of something that brings people together and supports such important work in our community is a real privilege, and we're really proud to do that alongside the Highland Hospice.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad To learn more about the Highland HeART Trail, visit:


Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Maradona's 'Hand of God' named most notorious moment in football history
The Argentinian legend's controversial goal against England at the 1986 World Cup has been named the most notorious moment in footballing history, according to a poll of fans Diego Maradona' s notorious 'Hand of God' has been voted the most infamous incident to ever occur on a football pitch, according to a survey of fans. The Argentinian legend shattered English dreams in 1986 when he outjumped Peter Shilton and punched the ball into the net. This was closely followed by Luis Suarez of Uruguay biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini during the 2014 World Cup. The list of also spotlighted Thierry Henry's handball against Ireland in the 2009 World Cup qualifiers, often pointed to as a key factor in the introduction of VAR. Meanwhile Carlos Tevez's refusal to come off the bench as a substitute for Manchester City in a Champions League match against Bayern Munich in 2011 also made the list. But it isn't just professionals who have faced controversial moments on the pitch. The study also found that many amateur players had experienced their own nightmares on the pitch, with one in four admitting to a Ronnie Rosenthal-style open goal mishap. The research, commissioned by Specsavers as part of its Best Worst Team series, was inspired by such football blunders – from missed goals to failing to hear the referee's whistle – and is now searching for a new team in need of assistance to participate. For amateur players across the nation, 22 per cent have experienced the embarrassment of celebrating a goal, only to discover it had been disallowed. Yet, three quarters of fans agree that these unforgettable incidents are what contribute to football's iconic status, even when they seem unjust. More than a third of enthusiasts favour the 'unpredictable and chaotic' nature of football over the quarter who prefer a 'fair and structured' game. Tunley Athletic, a team notorious for losing all 26 matches and conceding 137 more goals than they scored, featured in the Best Worst Team series. Their luck changed thanks to Specsavers, with assistance from Ella Toone, Gary Neville, and Luke Littler. Chairman Craig Doughty remarked: "Sometimes being rubbish at football really pays off." He added: "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, on a 17-0 losing run – team morale was at an all-time low, and we were close to folding the club." "This money-can't buy experiences surpassed all our expectations," Craig said, "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." THE 20 MOST NOTORIOUSLY UNJUST 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) Robert Green's goalkeeping howler gifting the USA a goal in the World Cup (2010) Graeme Souness plants a Galatasaray flag on Fenerbahçe's pitch (1996)