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Football is a spectator sport and some moments of magic can bring the crowd to its feet. May it be a supremely timed slide tackle or a defense penetrating pass, fans go gaga over similar action-packed instances.
One such instance is the long-range screamer. Long rangers are a treat for the eyes. Watching the ball gliding through the air towards the net makes everything else appear in slow motion.
Long-range goals have got several advantages. To begin with, long-range shots come off as a surprise for the opposition. Secondly, as mentioned above, long-rangers are one of the crowd favorites.
The game of football has seen numerous long-range stunners. In this article, we are going to discuss long range goal records in football.
Top 5 long-range goals scored in football history
Note: The (*) indicates estimated distance in the absence of official measurement.
#5 Andy Lonergan — 86.8m - 91.4m* (October 2, 2004)
Andy Lonergan, who spent the majority of his career in the Championship, recorded a goal from within his own box. The English goalkeeper achieved this feat on October 2, 2004 during a league Championship game.
Lonergan's team Preston North End were up against Leicester and were trailing by one goal to nil. However, in the 34th minute, the then 20-year-old goalie collected the ball following Leicester's loose attempt.
After urging his forwards to run down the pitch, Andy Lonergan kicked the ball high into Leicester City's box. Much to everyone's surprise, the ball bounced over Foxes goalkeeper Kevin Pressman to find the back of the net. The game ended in a draw (1-1).
#4 Tim Howard — 86.8m - 91.4m* (January 4, 2012)
Arguably the most-popular American in England, Tim Howard, is considered an Everton legend. He has played over 414 games across all competitions in Everton's jersey. Tim Howard holds the record for most number of saves (15) in a World Cup game.
He achieved this milestone in the 2014 FIFA World Cup vs Belgium in the round of 16. However, this is not the only record held by the former American shot-stopper. During his Everton days under David Moyes, Howard scored a miraculous goal against Bolton Wanderers.
A back-pass clearance from his own box sent the ball launching high into the sky. The ball landed a few inches ahead of the Bolton penalty box and flew over their goalkeeper Ádám Bogdán's head for a goal. Howard did not celebrate the goal as he considered it a lucky goal.
#3 Matias Dituro — 86.8m - 91.4m* (April 25, 2017)
It is a common tradition in football for a goalkeeper to come high up the pitch during a last-minute set-piece. It is mostly practiced as a last-ditch attempt if their team is trailing.
While hoping for a miraculous moment in the dying seconds, the trailing team are also wary of the risk of conceding another one. This is as there's no one guarding their goal post. But during such an all-or-nothing situation, no one cares about the latter.
One such instance saw Bolivar goalkeeper Matias Dituro slot the ball into an unguarded opposition goal. His side Bolivar were playing against San Jose in April 2017 in Bolivia's top-tier league. San Jose were trailing by a goal and were awarded a free kick in the dying minutes.
A poorly hit ball went straight into Matias Dituro's gloves and the goalie gave no second thoughts before attempting for a goal. He did find the back of the net and Bolivar won the game 3-1.
#2 Asmir Begovic — 91.9m (November 2, 2013)
Asmir Begovic's long-range stunner helped him bag the world record for the longest goal scored back in 2013. The Bosnia and Herzegovina goalkeeper has played nearly 160 league games for Stoke City.
He is one of the most respected players in the club's history. In 2013, Stoke City hosted Southampton in a Premier League fixture. Just 13 minutes into the game the crowd saw one of the most bizarre goals in the history of the Premier League.
An attempted clearance by Asmir Begovic took the bounce and went in the goal, leaving Artur Boruc baffled. Begovic made the most of Boruc being out of his position and helped his team gain an early lead.
#1 Tom King — 96.01m (January 19, 2021)
Tom King made headlines during the start of this year. The Newport County goalkeeper dethroned Asmir Begovic to register the Guinness World Record for the longest goal in football to his name.
Newport were playing Cheltenham Town in an EFL League Two fixture. Little did the Plymouth-born goalie know what his 13th minute goal kick would turn out to be.
The goal-kick was hit with quite some power and it landed right in front of Cheltenham's six-yard box. The opposition goalkeeper couldn't track the trajectory and mistimed his dive. The same resulted in a shocking goal for Tom King and Newport County.
However, there is no denying that wind played a significant part in Tom King's goal.
