THERE’S A REASON the name of Marco van Basten is synonymous with technical flair.
Well, there are a few (three European Player of the Year awards, bundles of goals for Ajax and AC Milan…), but one stands head and shoulders above the rest.
Advertisement
With the 1988 European Championship final between the Netherlands and former group stage opponents the USSR deadlocked at one-all and lumbering towards extra-time, the striker maneouvred himself under a speculative cross from Arnold Mühren and, without as much as a preliminary touch, drove home a volley from the right edge of the box.
Struck from the point at which reflex and intelligence intersect, the ball cleared Rinat “The Iron Curtain” Dasayev at the near post and dipped dramatically before slamming into the left side netting.
The Oranje were European champions; Van Basten was elevated to the pantheon of footballing greats.
49 days to Euro 2012: Van Basten volleys the Netherlands to glory
THERE’S A REASON the name of Marco van Basten is synonymous with technical flair.
Well, there are a few (three European Player of the Year awards, bundles of goals for Ajax and AC Milan…), but one stands head and shoulders above the rest.
With the 1988 European Championship final between the Netherlands and former group stage opponents the USSR deadlocked at one-all and lumbering towards extra-time, the striker maneouvred himself under a speculative cross from Arnold Mühren and, without as much as a preliminary touch, drove home a volley from the right edge of the box.
Struck from the point at which reflex and intelligence intersect, the ball cleared Rinat “The Iron Curtain” Dasayev at the near post and dipped dramatically before slamming into the left side netting.
The Oranje were European champions; Van Basten was elevated to the pantheon of footballing greats.
(YouTube credit: ninetofivepeople)
Olympic countdown: here are 12 gold medal contenders
London 2012: Adam Nolan succeeds in Turkey
Footballer found guilty of rape, jailed for five years
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Countdown European Championships European Championships 1988 Football Goal! Golazzo Marco Van Basten Soccer Netherlands USSR