It’s much less ubiquitous than it as soon as was, however the goal man stays considered one of soccer’s nice specialisms.
Normally – although not all the time – a giant man, they supply an attacking focus, maintain the ball as much as convey others into play, and are typically greater than just a little bit helpful within the air.
Right here, we’ve picked out a number of the recreation’s nice goal males from all through historical past…
Preben Elkjaer
Preben Elkjaer at Verona throughout the 1984/85 season (Picture credit score: Alamy)
Runner-up to Michel Platini for the 1985 Ballon d’Or, Preben Elkjaer is undoubtedly considered one of Denmark’s best-ever gamers, scoring 38 targets for his nation.
A 1984/85 Serie A champion at Verona, within the late 80s he excelled because the goal man in an efficient strike partnership for the nationwide crew alongside Michael Laudrup.
Adebayo Akinfenwa
Adebayo Akinfenwa at Wycombe Wanderers in 2021 (Picture credit score: Alamy)
Not like the remainder of the nice goal males on this record, Adebayo Akinfenwa by no means performed on the highest stage – however he was such a novel participant that we couldn’t not embody him.
An absolute icon of the English decrease leagues, turning out for the likes of AFC Wimbledon and Wycombe Wanderers, ‘The Beast’ – such was his construct, extra like that of an NFL participant – actually did have good toes for a giant man and scored over 200 profession targets (an ample chunk of them together with his head).
Miroslav Klose
Miroslav Klose celebrates after scoring for Germany in opposition to Ecuador on the 2006 World Cup (Picture credit score: Alamy)
The highest scorer in World Cup historical past with 16 targets throughout 4 tournaments, lifting the trophy in 2014, Germany legend Miroslav Klose was a well-rounded goal man in his prime.
An instinctive finisher who bagged his justifiable share of headers, Klose completed because the Bundesliga’s main marksmen with Werder Bremen in 2006 and notched 124 targets within the German high flight general.
Dixie Dean
Dixie Dean pictured in 1931 (Picture credit score: Alamy)
Holder of the certainly never-to-be-broken file for essentially the most targets in an English top-flight season – 60 for Everton in 1927/28 – Dixie Dean was an distinctive header of the ball.
The 16-cap England worldwide – who netted 18 occasions for his nation – didn’t have the standard dimensions of a goal man, standing at five-foot-ten tall, however is considered one of many most interesting aerial exponents of all time.
Emile Heskey
Emile Heskey enjoying for Liverpool in opposition to Leeds in 2001 (Picture credit score: Alamy)
An excellent hold-up man famend for his selflessness, Emile Heskey supplied the right foil to Michael Owen for each Liverpool and England.
However the former Leicester Metropolis striker posed loads of aim risk in his personal proper, registering 22 occasions as Liverpool received a treble of FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup within the 2000/01 marketing campaign.
He additionally famously notched the fifth in England’s 5-1 demolition of Germany throughout qualification for the 2002 World Cup.
Peter Crouch
Peter Crouch enjoying for England in opposition to Brazil in a pleasant at Wembley, 2007 (Picture credit score: Alamy)
A real Premier League cult hero, the distinctively gangly Peter Crouch proved his credentials as a high goal man on a number of the recreation’s largest phases.
Whereas not as sturdy within the air as could be anticipated from a six-foot-seven large, Crouch greater than made up together with his wonderful hold-up play and penchant for acrobatic finishes.
A 2005/06 FA Cup winner with Liverpool, he scored 22 England targets at a mean of simply over one each different recreation.
Edin Dzeko
Edin Dzeko in motion for Manchester Metropolis in 2011 (Picture credit score: Alamy)
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s all-time main goalscorer by a rustic mile, Edin Dzeko was an elite goal man at his peak, enjoying a key position in Manchester Metropolis’s first two Premier League title triumphs.
An imposing centre-forward who carried an ideal aim risk together with his head and each toes, Dzeko headed in Metropolis’s equaliser in opposition to QPR on the ultimate day of the 2011/12 marketing campaign to set the stage for that Sergio Aguero aim.
Mario Mandzukic
Mario Mandzukic wins a header throughout the 2018 World Cup closing in opposition to France (Picture credit score: Alamy)
One of many few gamers to attain in each the World Cup and Champions League finals and amongst Croatia’s best of all time, Mario Mandzukic may function as a goal man by means of the center or out vast.
An vital member of Bayern Munich’s 2012/13 treble-winning aspect and a a number of Serie A champion with Juventus, the towering Mandzukic received plaudits for his immense work charge offensively and defensively.
Olivier Giroud
Olivier Giroud enjoying for France in opposition to Poland at Euro 2024 (Picture credit score: Alamy)
Whereas he’s been unfairly pigeonholed by some as ‘simply’ a goal man, Olivier Giroud proved himself to be a world-class exponent of that side of being a centre-forward.
A strong and exceptionally hard-working participant with a really outrageous end in his locker (look no additional than the scorpion kick with which he scored for Arsenal in opposition to Crystal Palace in 2017), the 2018 World Cup winner overtook Thierry Henry as France’s file marksman in 2022.
Luca Toni
Luca Toni celebrates after scoring for Italy in opposition to Ukraine on the 2006 World Cup (Picture credit score: Alamy)
Luca Toni bloomed late however established himself among the many recreation’s standout strikers of his period, starring in Italy’s 2006 World Cup victory.
Aerially sturdy and acrobatic with nice hold-up play, Toni received two Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich, ending because the league’s high scorer with 24 targets within the 2007/08 marketing campaign.
Christian Vieri
Christian Vieri celebrates after scoring for Inter in opposition to Atalanta, 2001 (Picture credit score: Alamy)
Rising up in Australia, Christian Vieri needed to be an expert cricketer; as an alternative, he grew to become considered one of Europe’s most formidable strikers across the flip of the 21st century.
A splendidly well-rounded goal man, ‘Bobo’ – who starred most prominently for Inter and scored at two World Cups for Italy – set the file for essentially the most headed targets in Serie A historical past.
Sandor Kocsis
Sandor Kocsis heads the ball in direction of aim throughout the ‘Match of the Century’ in opposition to England at Wembley in 1953 (Picture credit score: Alamy)
Sandor Kocsis’ nickname of ‘Golden Head’ provides you a reasonably good concept of how good he was within the air.
An instrumental member of Hungary’s ‘Magical Magyars’ who so famously beat England 6-3 at Wembley in 1953 and a two-time LaLiga champion with Barcelona, Kocsis was an immensely skilful striker who racked up properly over 400 profession targets – together with 75 in 68 worldwide caps alone.
Didier Drogba
Didier Drogba enjoying for Chelsea in 2007 (Picture credit score: Alamy)
A defender’s nightmare, Didier Drogba stored many a Premier League backline busy throughout his prolific Chelsea profession.
The Ivory Coast’s file scorer with 65 targets, Drogba mixed elite hold-up play with devastating ending – which included some unstoppably highly effective headers, none extra essential than his late equaliser to assist Chelsea win the 2012 Champions League closing in opposition to Bayern Munich.
John Charles
John Charles pictured in 1958 (Picture credit score: Getty Pictures)
‘Mild Large’ John Charles was a world-class operator at centre-forward and centre-back, offering an immense outlet as a goal man.
Undoubtedly one of many most interesting British gamers ever, the legendary Welshman mixed energy, tempo and excellent aerial potential to gorgeous impact, amassing greater than 150 targets for Leeds and over 100 for Juventus – the place he completed as 1957/58 Serie A high scorer in successful his first Scudetto .
Geoff Hurst
Geoff Hurst equalises with a header for England in opposition to West Germany within the 1966 World Cup closing (Picture credit score: Alamy)
Hat-trick hero for England within the 1966 World Cup closing and considered one of West Ham’s all-time greats, Geoff Hurst was a massively influential goal man.
A super attacking focus, Hurst’s defence-occupying, space-creating performances for Alf Ramsey’s ‘wingless wonders’ – because the nationwide crew was identified as a result of its slim four-man midfield – prompted one thing of a revolution in British soccer, paving the best way for the following technology of goal males.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scores with a header for Milan in opposition to Verona in 2020 (Picture credit score: Alamy)
To name Zlatan Ibrahimovic a goal man feels considerably reductive, however the imperious Swede did it higher than anybody – and a lot extra in addition to.
Blessed with an agility belying his six-foot-five body, Zlatan was as able to scoring together with his head as he was through an outrageously acrobatic effort (look no additional than his Puskas Award-winning 35-yard overhead kick in opposition to England in 2013).
Performing on the high stage into his 40s, the ex-Milan, Barcelona and Manchester United star chalked up the most effective a part of 60 profession targets.
