Van De Ven's Solo Run And More - The 10 Greatest Goals Ever Scored By Defenders In Football History

Van De Ven's Solo Run And More - The 10 Greatest Goals Ever Scored By Defenders In Football History

Defenders are never typical goal scorers; however, every so often the normality is broken by something sensational. Defenders have taken to the world's biggest stages and done the spectacular, so in turn there is plenty of footage of some of the game's greatest ever defenders whacking it top bins and taking on the whole team. Let's delve into some backline bangers.

10 - Screamers Specialty

Real Madrid 4-2 AS Roma 2004

Roberto Carlos became famous for his free kick ability, as well as his multiple screamers, and his strike vs Roma in 2004 is one of his greatest in the sport. While this isn't a standalone clip of the goal, it involves the beautiful strike into the top corner from the Brazilian left back. This won't be his last goal on the list...

[https://youtu.be/zmRLjbFqWho?si=ex3zFf54Is-j727R&t=484)

9 - Free Kick To Win The Cup!

Barcelona 1-0 Sampdoria 1992

Ronald Koeman is one of history's most notorious free-kick takers, with a catalogue made up of banger after banger. This free kick is perfection. The layoff and the strike are all perfect, and to top it off, this goal won Barcelona the 1992 European Cup! Scenes!

Ronald Koeman vs Sampdoria, 1992. #Greatest90sFreeKickspic.twitter.com/Gpk2d5bSZQ

— 90s Football (@90sfootball) October 14, 2023

8 - A Knuckleball Thunderbolt!

Chelsea 4-4 Liverpool 2009

A free kick from a defender can only mean one thing: a thunderbolt. This one from Brazilian defender Alex in 2009 is an absolute beauty, the pinnacle of what a knuckleball is. Everyone's favourite technique to try at the local park is the knuckleball, and here is the perfect example of a knuckleball screamer!

🇧🇷 A thunderbolt free-kick by Brazilian defender Alex in 2009 - one of the highlights of an eight-goal #UCL epic...

⚽️ #FreekickFriday | @ChelseaFC https://t.co/7MKbGt873T pic.twitter.com/WWg7lrYIJD

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) June 5, 2020

7 - A Touch Of Class

PSG 7-1 Celtic 2017

Dani Alves is one of the most decorated footballers ever, with more trophies than the majority of football clubs; his goal catalogue isn't too bad either. This beauty in a 7-1 thrashing is unreal. Just a cool touch on the edge of the box and then the most effortless strike into the far corner. What a beauty!

🇧🇷 This Dani Alves finish back in 2017 🤤

@DaniAlvesD2 | #OTD | #UCL pic.twitter.com/2Gp45tCxsu

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) November 22, 2021

6 - A Brazilian Powerhouse

Fulham 0-3 Chelsea 2013

David Luiz has scored his fair share of long-range goals in his time, but this one vs Fulham in the Premier League takes the plaudits as his best. He smashes it right into the top corner from over 30 yards out to put his team into the lead.

It was of course David Luiz with our goal of the season against Fulham in 2013 https://t.co/lABR9HEs7c pic.twitter.com/FI90QjfZm2

— Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea (@ChelseaMaresca1) March 19, 2025

5 - An Insane Solo Run

Tottenham 4-0 FC Copenhagen

Micky Van De Ven is the latest defender to insert himself into this conversation, with his recent goal vs FC Copenhagen a definite contender for the greatest goal from a defender. He picks it up from the edge of his own box and takes it past one, two, three players and smashes it into the near post, a strike a seasoned goalscorer would be proud of; not many can say they have scored a goal like this.

If you haven't seen Micky van de Ven's solo goal yet watch this! 😱

...and if you have seen Micky van de Ven's solo goal watch it again! 🤯#UCLGOTD | @Heineken pic.twitter.com/rvDUBeYZwG

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) November 4, 2025

4 - A Title Winning Strike!

Leicester 0-1 Manchester City 2019

Vincent Kompany is one of the Premier League's greatest ever defenders and, in the present day, is performing magnificently as manager for Bayern Munich. His screamer vs Leicester City in 2019 was a thunder strike which gave his team the 1-0 win in the final stages of the season, which in the end proved massive for Man City as they beat Liverpool to the Premier League title by only one point! Talk about fine margins!

🇧🇪©️ 6 years ago today: Vincent Kompany's screamer against Leicester which defined the 2018/19 title race for Manchester City. 🤯🚀 pic.twitter.com/06llpweTc6

— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) May 6, 2025

3 - The Volley Of Dreams!

France 4-3 Argentina 2018

Wow, wow, wow, that's all we have to say about this volley from Benjamin Pavard in the 2018 World Cup. The arc on this strike is something that simply can't be recreated; it is can only be described as one of the greatest strikes in football history. you just have to watch and take this one in.

Benjamin Pavard in the news? Any excuse to watch *that* volley.pic.twitter.com/Xkv6dBBRqi

— Planet Football (@planetfutebol) August 10, 2023

2 - Oh the Audacity!

Uruguay 2-3 Netherlands 2010

No one in their right mind would even think about shooting here. Giovanni van Bronckhorst, however, clearly wasn't in his right mind! He picks up the ball so far out and just decides to hit one of the sweetest strikes ever seen in football. A screamer straight into the top corner; it didn't matter how much time the keeper had to watch the ball, there was no chance he was saving this wonder strike.

It's been 13 years since Giovanni van Bronckhorst did this.

In a World Cup semifinal.

He was a defender 🫡

(via @FIFAWorldCup)pic.twitter.com/cczd1fEedT

— B/R Football (@brfootball) July 6, 2023

1 - The Free kick Of All Free Kicks

France 1-1 Brazil 1997

Was there any other goal that was going to be first? Everyone thought of this goal instantly, potentially the best-known goal in football. That doesn't take away a single thing from the beauty of this free kick from Roberto Carlos, his second entry on the list! 40 yards out, about a 10-yard run-up, and an outside-of-the-boot strike which is still spoken about nearly every day in the footballing world. He really had talent that no one else could replicate, and this certainly stands little chance of recreation.

In 1997, Roberto Carlos made the greatest free kick in all of football history pic.twitter.com/Oj6a0pWdRP

— internet hall of fame (@InternetH0F) September 30, 2025