L1+△, R2+○ = back of the net
Sometimes we witness goals that just make us go “fuuuuuuuuck, what a goal”. Thankfully, we live in a bountiful world and as such we’ve been graced with plenty of these.
The Pajtim Kasami (who is only 26 still, how on earth is he that young?) stunner for Fulham against Crystal Palace springs to mind when discussing this sorta goal, as does Lionel Messi’s ludicrous strike against Nigeria during last summer’s World Cup.
On Friday night, Paul Pogba and compatriot Antoine Griezmann added another goal to that collection.
We’re going to confront the elephant in the room before the rest of craic vacuums do: yes it was only Moldova and yes, we are aware that Moldova are not very good. We don’t care. Okay? Nice one.
This was a goal so stupidly good that it doesn’t matter who they scored it against. They could’ve run into a schoolyard at break time and scored this against a bunch of 10-year-olds and it would still be a cracker.
Here’s how it went. We’re 23 minutes into the game and Antoine Griezmann receives the ball from defender Benjamin Pavard. Griezmann takes a touch, rounds a Moldovan player and lays the ball off to Paul Pogba, who is roughly 30 yards out from goal.
😍 – Oh, Paul Pogba.
What an assist for the @ManUtd midfielder as Griezmann slams it in from close range! 🎁 pic.twitter.com/rNcQZr74Sh
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) March 22, 2019
As the ball rolls towards Pogba there is no fucking around. There’s no doubt what he’s going to do. He sees the run that Griezmann made as soon as he passed the ball and he knows where he’s going.
Without taking a first touch to control the ball, Pogba chips the ball over the Moldova defence and into the path of Griezmann with the sort of brutal grace usually reserved for a furious swan.
This alone was lovely. It was beautiful. Now all Griezmann had to do was take a touch – either on his chest or his in-step – and make sure he scored. Finish the move off.
No chance. Seeing his chance to score in real life the sort of goal you dream of scoring on FIFA, Griezmann let the ball drift over his left shoulder and connected with a volley so powerful that the Moldovan keeper was left grasping at the air, his dreams and memories of his life before that moment.
It was the perfect goal. You should watch it as often as possible.
