Vintage

Controversy is the key ingredient for a well-seasoned, spicy football match. Flops, red cards and VAR are all ingredients for a debatable match. But the crème de la crème — as Thierry Henry’s hand would say — are controversial goals. Here are the top five most controversial goals ever scored.

The 5 Most Controversial Goals Ever Scored

#5. Darren Bent’s Beach Ball Party

Growing up in the shadow of big brother Dominik, who starred in ice hockey from an early age, footballer Martin Hasek travelled a bumpier road to sporting success but one that nevertheless took him to the Champions League and Czech Republic side.

His journey is the subject of a documentary "Hasan: The Coach" premiering on Thursday, which spans his youth competing at home with the future Olympic and Stanley Cup champion goaltender to coaching his two sons in the Czech top-flight.

CAPE TOWN — South Africa's flying winger Siphiwe Tshabalala ignited a nation with his thunderbolt in the opening game of the 2010 World Cup to send the host's supporters into delirium and 10 years on his goal still resonates across the African continent.

Tshabalala’s scorching strike against Mexico at Soccer City in Soweto was one of the iconic moments of the first World Cup in Africa — his pace, technique and power on show in a moment of brilliance that brought instant global recognition.

Paul Caligiuri is often credited with scoring the most important goal in U.S. men’s soccer history, the “shot heard ’round the world” in 1989. Four years prior, he took part in another legendary moment: the longest soccer match in NCAA history, one that didn’t end until nearly four hours after kickoff. 

Even though the world is slowly opening back up and soccer is reemerging onto the TV again, I’m sure everyone is dying to watch the game, no matter how.

No amount of soccer watching is going to make up for the three months of drought. We’ll watch anything to get our blood rushing again — I’m certainly entertained by the best cat goalie. 

But with this next phase of quarantine, we’re gonna need something a little more hearty. Luckily, Netflix has our back. Like always.

In soccer annals, the year 1999 might be best known for Manchester United's stoppage time equalizer and winner against Bayern Munich in the Champions League final.

But three weeks earlier, another last-minute winning goal, scored by a goalkeeper, yes a goalkeeper, meant far more to Carlisle United supporters than a Champions League trophy.

The English Premier League has been blessed with some of Africa’s best talent since the league's inception in 1992. Over the past decades, players from all over the continent have shown their skills and dazzled English fans. This list contains some of the greatest players to ever play in England’s top flight. Here are the ten best African players to play in the Premier League.

Ah yes, Alexi Lalas, arguably the best redhead to play for the USMNT and one of the main voices for soccer in this country. From having some of the best hair in World Cup in history to torching the USMNT before its cataclysmic failure to qualify, Lalas has had plenty of noteworthy accomplishments in the past 50 years. This list looks at the five best Alexi Lalas moments so far.