Sports
The best volley goal ever after John McGinn’s wonder goal
Unless you have deliberately avoided social media over the weekend, you cannot have failed to see John McGinn’s goal for Aston Villa against Sheffield Wednesday.
The Scottish midfielder drilled home a sublime volley, left-footed, from the edge of the penalty area off the underside of the crossbar past the despairing dive of Cameron Dawson.
And it got us thinking – what are the best volleys we have seen live, in the flesh?
Paul Scholes’s rocket against Aston Villa and Wayne Rooney’s howitzer at Newcastle are two that spring to mind in the Premier League era – but we have delved into our memories to find a couple of more obscure ones.
Here’s our selection…
James Whaling – John McGinn (ASTON VILLA vs Sheffield Wednesday)
I was lucky enough to be at Villa Park on Saturday to watch what is unquestionably the best goal I have seen live.
I was in the away end in a supporting capacity rather than a working one, and the reaction of the Sheffield Wednesday fans around me told you all you need to know about how good this goal was.
Having taken the lead only four minutes earlier, it was a strike which would ordinarily knock the stuffing out of travelling fans, but the sold-out away end instead looked at each other in a daze of bewilderment.
“Fair play,” was the overriding message.
As a Wednesday fan, I’m not happy with either attempt at a clearing header, but once the ball goes out to McGinn, I’m thinking: “Go on, hit it. Have a go.”
Ninety-nine times out of 100 that ball flies into the Holte End, but it was as sweet a strike as you could wish to see. The fact it cannoned off the underside of the crossbar and into the roof of the net made it all the more pleasing on the eye.
I think what separates this goal from other volleys I have witnessed, I’m thinking back to a couple of Chris Brunt efforts down the years, is the swazz, as the kids say.
The ball started so far outside Cameron Dawson’s left post, it had no right to curl back in to that degree and end up in the back, or roof, of the net.
Thankfully, Wednesday re-took the lead and hung on for the three points – making the goal even better from my point of view!
Matt Lawless – Paolo Di Canio (WEST HAM vs Wimbledon)
Take a bow, John McGinn. Take a bow. His volley was so, so good I will show it to my 10-year-old son on loop. If ever there is a lesson to be learned about mastering technique, that’s it right there.
But the finest volley I have seen in the flesh? There’s only one winner: Paolo Di Canio. You know the one.
Trevor Sinclair flights it diagonally across the field before West Ham ’s maverick Italian connects with a chop to direct it past Wimbledon’s Neil Sullivan. Poetry in motion.
Jake Polden – Zoltan Gera (FULHAM vs Manchester United)
It’s not very often you beat Manchester United – not back in 2009 anyway – and it’s very rare you do so after scoring a goal as stylish as the one Zoltan Gera netted in Fulham’s 2-0 win at Craven Cottage some nine years ago.
Fulham were helped on the day by Paul Scholes being sent off early into the match after handling the ball on the line, and Danny Murphy netted the subsequent penalty.
But the Champions League winners from the year before were still very much in the fixture before Gera chested the ball down, charged through the middle of the park and played it out wide to Andy Johnson.
Continuing his run, the Hungarian entered the box where he received a bobbling return ball, and with his back to goal flicked it into the air before performing a spinning round-the-house kick to smash it past Edwin van der Sar.
Ibrahim Mustapha – Aaron Ramsey (ARSENAL vs CSKA Moscow)
Arsenal’s run to the Europa League semi-final in 2018 ultimately ended in disappointment as they came unstuck against eventual winners Atletico Madrid.
However, on their route to the last four they faced CSKA Moscow in the quarter final. A 6-3 aggregate win saw the Gunners progress thanks mainly to a comprehensive 4-1 home win in the first leg.
The highlight of the game was Aaron Ramsey’s sensational goal to put them 3-1 up after just 25 minutes.
Mesut Ozil spotted his teammate making a late run, beating the Russians’ half-hearted offside trap by scooping a perfectly weighted ball into the penalty area.
The unmarked Welshman leaped high into the air and ingenuously flicked his right boot behind himself to direct the over the head of the despairing Akinfeev.
Mark Jones – Emre Can (Watford vs LIVERPOOL)
We all know that any true volley can’t be allowed to hit the ground even once before the ball is struck. If anyone tries to tell you anything else they are an outright liar, let’s be honest.
That’s why McGinn’s was so good after all, and so in that spirit I’ve had to rule out a few Steven Gerrard strikes as he loved to let the let the ball bounce up before he smashed it in. Robbie Fowler in the League Cup final of 2001 did similar, but that’s just not allowed.
Dietmar Hamann’s 2003/04 goal of the season against Portsmouth was a strong contender in the true volleys category, but for the sheer “what the hell has he just done there” factor it’s going to be Emre Can at Vicarage Road in May 2017.
The whole ground took an audible intake of breath when it went in, and while the Liverpool supporters’ celebrations were tinged with a kind of wide-eyed wonder, Watford’s fans could do nothing but stand and applaud.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed the appointment of German tactician Bruno Labbadia as the new Head Coach of Nigeria’s Senior Men’s National Team, the Super Eagles.
This development was announced by the NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, in the early hours of Tuesday, following the approval of the NFF Executive Committee based on a recommendation from its Technical and Development Sub-Committee. Labbadia’s appointment takes immediate effect.
Born on 8th February 1966 in Darmstadt, Germany, Labbadia enjoyed a distinguished playing career, earning two caps for the German national team. His club career included stints at prominent clubs such as Darmstadt 98, Hamburger SV, FC Kaiserslautern, Bayern Munich, FC Cologne, Werder Bremen, Arminia Bielefeld, and Karlsruher SC. Notably, he won the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich in 1994.
Labbadia’s coaching career has seen him manage top-tier clubs such as Hertha Berlin, VfB Stuttgart, VfL Wolfsburg, Hamburger SV, and Bayer Leverkusen, among others. He holds a UEFA Pro License and is well-regarded for his tactical acumen.
With his appointment, Labbadia becomes the sixth German to lead the Super Eagles, following in the footsteps of Karl-Heinz Marotzke, Gottlieb Göller, Manfred Höner, Berti Vogts, and Gernot Rohr. Höner notably guided the Super Eagles to a runner-up finish at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, while Rohr qualified Nigeria for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Labbadia’s immediate task is to prepare the Super Eagles for their upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches.
Nigeria will face Benin Republic on Saturday, 7th September in Uyo, and Rwanda on Tuesday, 10th September in Kigali. The team will also play four additional qualifying matches in October and November as they aim to secure a spot in the 2025 AFCON, scheduled to be held from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
The Super Eagles, placed in Group D, will face familiar foes Benin Republic, who recently defeated Nigeria in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The draw for the AFCON qualifiers, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, last month, also sees Nigeria taking on Libya and Rwanda, both of whom are also part of the Super Eagles’ group for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers set to be hosted in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Labbadia’s appointment comes at a crucial time as the Super Eagles look to regain their dominance on the African continent and secure qualification for both the AFCON and the World Cup.
Finidi George has stepped into a new role as the technical manager for NPFL side, Rivers United, following his resignation as coach of the Super Eagles.
During his brief tenure with the Eagles, George’s 1-1 draw against South Africa in Uyo and a 2-1 loss to Benin Republic in Abidjan cast doubts on Nigeria’s World Cup qualification, prompting calls from fans for his dismissal.
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Nevertheless, Rivers United, the 2021-22 champions, expressed optimism in a statement on Wednesday via their official handle about having the former Eagles international manage their team.
“Finidi brings a wealth of experience and expertise to our team, having had a distinguished playing career spanning over fifteen years,” the statement read.
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Dr. Okey Kpalukwu, General Manager of Rivers United FC, welcomed George, stating, “We are delighted to have Finidi George join our team. His appointment marks a new chapter in our club’s history, and we are committed to working together to achieve success.”
Expressing his gratitude to the club, an elated George remarked, “I am honored to have this opportunity, and I thank the Sports Commissioner, the General Manager, and the supporters for their confidence in me. I am committed to working hard and making the team win.”
Inter Milan were taken over by US fund Oaktree on Wednesday after the Serie A champions’ outgoing owners Suning missed a deadline to repay a debt worth hundred of millions of euros.
In a statement, Oaktree announced they had “assumed control” of Inter after the non-repayment of a “three-year loan to Inter Milan’s holding companies that matured on 21 May 2024 with a total balance due of approximately 395 million euros ($428 million)”.
Chinese conglomerate Suning have relinquished control of Inter to Oaktree three days after the team were officially crowned Italian champions for the 20th time.
Suning borrowed 275 million euros at over 12 percent interest three years ago to pay staff and players as the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged the finances of clubs across Europe, putting up their controlling stake in the club as collateral.
“Oaktree is dedicated to achieving the best outcome for the long-term prosperity of Inter Milan, with an initial focus on operational and financial stability for the Club and its stakeholders,” Oaktree continued.
Inter became a powerful force at home and abroad after Suning acquired the club in 2016, with seven trophies including two Serie A titles and two European finals.
Simone Inzaghi’s team cruised to this year’s championship, winning the Scudetto with five matches remaining by beating AC Milan in a thrilling local derby.
Oaktree, which manages $192 billion in assets, said they are “committed to working closely with Inter Milan’s current management team, partners, the league and governing bodies to ensure the Club is positioned for success on and off the pitch”.
Inter ended up in the hands of Oaktree in a manner similar to the way another US fund, Elliott Management, took control of their local rivals Milan in 2018.
Elliott became Milan’s owners when Chinese businessman Li Yonghong was unable to repay a loan he had taken out when he bought the club from the late Silvio Berlusconi’s Fininvest the previous year.
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