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On Sunday night, fans of the Premier League were treated to one of the goals of the season after a moment of magic from Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho.
The Argentina winger needed just two minutes to break the deadlock for United in their league trip to Everton and he did so in emphatic fashion.
After neat play between Marcus Rashford and Diogo Dalot down the right-side, the full-back whipped in a cross that fell just behind Garnacho. Did it matter? No.
Many have suggested it’s one of the best goals ever scored, while others were quick to compare it with Wayne Rooney’s effort against Man City in 2011.
So, here, Mail Sport has taken a look at the best-ever bicycle kicks… but where did Garnacho’s effort rank?
Alejandro Garnacho stunned fans with a stunning acrobatic effort against Everton
Many have claimed the strike was one of the best bicycle kicks scored in football history
10. Masuluke v Baroka FC, 2016
Back in 2016, during Baroka FC’s clash with Orlando Pirates, goalkeeper Oscarine Masuluke performed the unthinkable.
In the 97th minute, with his side 1-0 down, Masuluke decided to channel his inner Wayne Rooney and rifled an acrobatic effort over the opposition defence and into the net.
In doing so, he became the only goalkeeper to have ever been shortlisted for a Puskas Award.
9. Ronaldinho v Villarreal 2006
While Masuluke opted for a first-time effort, former Barcelona and Brazil trickster Ronaldinho opted to take his acrobatic effort in a different fashion.
During Barcelona’s 2006 clash with Villarreal, the forward controlled the ball on his chest before firing his effort into the goal.
Although controlling the ball first makes the bicycle kick manoeuvre easier, the speed at which Ronaldinho rotated his body could not be defended. Fans inside the Nou Camp were left with their hands on their head in disbelief.
Former Barcelona star Ronaldinho scored a stunning overhead effort against Villarreal
8. Philippe Mexes v Anderlecht 2012
There’s no greater evidence of the evolution of football than this goal.
A centre-back, taking the ball down on his chest and producing a bicycle-kick which looped over the keeper’s head from outside the box.
World Cup aside, there’s no greater stage than the Champions League – which is the exact competition which Philippe Mexes managed to find the back of the net in.
This wasn’t his only screamer either, as a karate-esque technique saw him score spectacularly in a 2015 Milan derby.
Centre-back Philippe Mexes stunned AC Milan fans with his long-range bicycle kick
7. Zlatan Ibrahimović v England 2013
If you’re an England fan, you’ll definitely remember this stunning effort during England’s friendly with Sweden one decade ago.
After Joe Hart vacated his goal and modelled what sweeper keepers should not do, Zlatan Ibrahimovic still had his work cut out to finish from that distance.
The Swede produced a remarkable finish, especially considering the fact his back was at an awkward angle from goal. The effort won him the 2013 Puskas Award.
6. Wayne Rooney v Manchester City 2011
Poll
Which goal is the greatest bicycle kick ever?
- Garnacho vs Everton 2293 votes
- Rooney vs Man City 859 votes
- Bressan vs Barcelona 46 votes
- Ronaldo vs Juventus 577 votes
- Ibrahimovic vs England 1103 votes
- Sinclair vs Barnsley 316 votes
- Bale vs Liverpool 1182 votes
- Mexes vs Anderlecht 64 votes
- Ronaldinho vs Villarreal 158 votes
- Masuluke vs Baroka 55 votes
- Something else! 471 votes
There’s getting one over your rivals and then there’s this. The Premier League’s hallmark bicycle kick.
Delivered by Nani, the ball looped behind Rooney in a teasing fashion. Nitpickers will say it connected off the shin but the connection was still emphatic enough to send Sir Alex Ferguson into profanities of jubilance.
During Sky Sports’ coverage on Sunday, Gary Neville suggested that Garnacho’s effort surpassed that of Rooney – and we agree!
5. Cristiano Ronaldo v Juventus 2018
The technique for this bicycle kick was so textbook, it appears as if Cristiano Ronaldo went into slow motion as he approached the ball.
The Portuguese forward leapt in the air and made an emphatic connection with the ball, before watching it fly into the net of his future club.
Even the great Gianluigi Buffon didn’t move as the ball satisfyingly nestled into the bottom-right corner, in the Champions League quarter-final tie.
4. Mauro Bressan v Barcelona 1999
This attempt defined audacity.
Comfortably outside the Barcelona box, Mauro Bressan shaped up with that recognisable bicycle kick technique and generated the necessary power to find the top corner – kissing the crossbar on the way.
Wayne Rooney scored his iconic bicycle kick against rivals Man City back in 2013
Cristiano Ronaldo managed to find the back of the net against his future club with the stunner
3. Alejandro Garnacho v Everton 2023
What makes Garnacho’s effort so good?
Diogo Dalot’s cross, away from goal rather than towards it, lead Garnacho to scatter backwards and use the leverage of his standing leg to swing the other, with the connection sweet enough to beat a well-positioned Jordan Pickford.
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes joked Garnacho had been watching too many Cristiano Ronaldo videos, but I strongly advise anyone to watch more if it produces that.
Garnacho managed to score his acrobatic inside the first two minutes at Goodison Park
2. Trevor Sinclair v Barnsley 1997
When people talk about the magic of the FA Cup, maybe they mean this. A goal any striker would wish for, as Trevor Sinclair’s bicycle kick flew in from outside the box.
The goalkeeper’s positioning was as suspect as his delayed dive, but there was slim chance he was expecting that nor any chance of him saving it either.
1. Gareth Bale v Liverpool 2018
Gareth Bale’s goal felt out of place even in club football’s most elite final. It was that special.
The Welsh wizard judged Marcelo’s high-flying, deflected cross perfectly before turning round to unleash an effort which flew past Liverpool’s Loris Karius.
It’s insulting to think he started the game on the bench after a show of such quality. Even his manager Zinedine Zidane, whom he had a reportedly complex relationship with, purred over the finish on the sideline.
Gareth Bale’s Champions League final goal takes top spot in our best-ever bicycle kick list
The former Tottenham winger smashed his effort into the Liverpool back in 2018
