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Football is all about scoring goals. While having a solid defense is imperative, a team’s primary objective is to slot the ball past the opposing keeper. Most of these goals inevitably end up being shots from the players' feet. However, headers are also a useful way of scoring goals.
Teams with tall players are in an advantageous position especially during set-pieces. Usually, strikers and centre-backs are the main targets whenever a team gets a corner. Apart from corners, headers can also be scored from free kicks and crosses from wide areas of the pitch.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos among the players with the best heading ability
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored the most headed goals in the 21st century. Luuk de Jong, Fernando Llorente, Bas Dost and Aritz Aduriz are four other players also renowned for being incredible in the air. Among defenders, Sergio Ramos had the best goal scoring record, netting over 50 headers.
While the art of scoring headers can be perfected with practice by tall players, scoring gravity-defying headers takes exceptional skill. Attributes like anticipation, reaction and positioning are vital to pulling off perfect finishes with the head. Here are the five most gravity-defying headers in football history.
#5 Marco van Basten (vs Real Madrid)
Marco van Basten is one of the best centre-forwards of all time. The Dutchman won three Ballon d’Or awards and was comfortably the best player during the late 1980s and early 1990s. An all-time Ajax and AC Milan great, van Basten scored 277 goals in 373 matches at club level.
Standing at 6’2” tall, van Basten had a penchant for acrobatic goals. He made volleys and bicycle kicks look straightforward. While donning the famous Milan jersey, van Basten scored an unbelievable header against Real Madrid in 1989.
Despite being positioned just inside the 18-yard box, van Basten managed to connect with the ball using his head extremely well. The angle wasn’t in favor of the Dutchman, but he made the most of it and scored a beautiful goal.
#4 Basile Boli (vs PSG)
Basile Boli features on the list as the only non-attacking player. Olympique Marseille's cult hero represented the Ligue 1 club 158 times and scored 25 goals in all competitions, an impressive record for a defender. Many of these were headed goals, including a thunderbolt header against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
When Marseille faced PSG in the 1992-93 campaign, it was a virtual title decider as both clubs were fighting tooth and nail at the top of the standings. After a goal from either side in the first 30 minutes, Boli gave his side the lead in the 36th minute. The bullet header was struck at a rapid pace from just inside the D-line.
Marseille ended up winning Le Classique 3-1 and went on to win the Ligue 1 title. However, a bribery scandal saw them lose the trophy and it remains unattributed. Despite the controversy surrounding the season, the goal by Boli is still a fond part of Marseille's folklore.
#3 Lionel Messi (vs Manchester United)
Lionel Messi is not renowned for his heading ability. Standing at a height of just 5’7”, Messi has to rely on his footwork and agility to get the better of opposition defenders.
However, when the former Barcelona superstar scored a header against Manchester United in the 2009 UEFA Champions League final, the entire footballing world took notice.
In the 70th minute, Xavi Hernandez sent in a pinpoint cross which was perfectly executed but Messi still had a lot of work to do. At one point, it seemed like the Barcelona man had mistimed his jump. But he re-positioned his header exquisitely and ended up beating the stranded Edwin van der Sar.
Messi’s header doubled Barcelona’s lead, and the Blaugrana beat Manchester United 2-0 to clinch their third UEFA Champions League title. The reaction from Rio Ferdinand and van der Sar when Messi connected with the header was enough to convey how astonishing the moment was.
#2 Robin van Persie (vs Spain)
Robin van Persie was a great goalscorer during his prime years in the Premier League. The “Flying Dutchman” captained his side to a historic 5-1 win over Spain in the group stages of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Van Persie scored a fine brace against the Spaniards, including a beautiful header.
Spain had beaten the Netherlands in the 2010 FIFA World Cup final. Tensions were high when they faced off in the next edition of football’s most elite competition. However, van Persie and co. made light work of the reigning World Cup champions.
The former Arsenal number 10 latched onto Daley Blind’s lob pass with his head by diving forward in full stretch. His jump, which saw him stay afloat for a good few seconds, was timed to perfection, and was one of the best goals of the year. The goal is unlikely to be replicated and is a prime example of a gravity-defying header.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo (vs Sampdoria)
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored over 100 headed goals in his illustrious career. His height, coupled with his magnificent leap, makes it hard to beat the Portuguese legend in the air. Among his many brilliant headed goals, the one against Sampdoria stands out.
The reason this goal stands out is because of Ronaldo’s colossal jump. He reportedly jumped 2.56 metres high to connect with Alex Sandro’s cross. For reference, the height of the crossbar is around 2.44m above the ground. The Sampdoria defenders were in awe of the Juventus forward's athleticism and could do nothing as the ball hit the back of the net.
The then-Juventus number 7 scored the goal to give the Old Lady a 2-1 lead, which was enough to see off Sampdoria. The leap was unbelievable as he was in the air for quite a substantial period of time. If anyone could pull it off in world football, it was Ronaldo.
