 | « Back to article | Print this article |
PHOTOS: The BEST goal celebrations at the World Cup!
Forget the goals, the half-chances missed. Take a look at the best goal celebrations at the football World Cup so far.
Germany striker Miroslav Klose celebrates with a somersault after scoring a record-equalling 15th World Cup goal and salvaging a 2-2 draw against Ghana on Saturday.
Klose, with his first touch of the game, poked home at the back post from a corner in the 71st minute to move level with former Brazil striker Ronaldo.
The sommersault was back after he scored the equaliser from close range with his first touch less than two minutes after coming off the bench in a 2-2 draw in Group G.
"I don't know how long its been since I did a sommersault, but at least it worked out," he said after the match.
- Complete coverage of the football World Cup
Please click NEXT for more...
PHOTOS: The BEST goal celebrations at the World Cup!
Liverpool striker Luis Suarez broke a lot of English hearts when he scored two goals to earn Uruguay a 2-1 victory over England in the Group D match in Sao Paulo on June 19.
Restored to the line-up after injury, Suarez nodded home Edinson Cavani's cross in the 39th minute, and after Wayne Rooney equalised in the second half, the Uruguayan striker took advantage of slack defending to slam home the winner five minutes from time.
- Complete coverage of the football World Cup
Please click NEXT for more...
PHOTOS: The BEST goal celebrations at the World Cup!
Lionel Messi's magical left-foot produced another inspirational goal as Argentina managed 1-0 victory over gritty Iran in a Group F game of the World Cup in Belo Horizonte, on June 21.
The Iranians nearly pulled off a memorable draw before the Argentine skipper produced a precision left-footer from 40 yards out that curled past goalkeeper Alireza Haghighi, who had been brilliant under the bar during stoppage time.
- Complete coverage of the football World Cup
Please click NEXT for more...
PHOTOS: The BEST goal celebrations at the World Cup!
Stunning goals from Dutch captain Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben ensured an awful start to Spain's World Cup defence as the Netherlands destroyed one of the tournament favourites 5-1.
Forward Van Persie opened the scoring for the Dutch when he stole in between Sergio Ramos and Jordi Alba to meet a searching Daley Blind cross with a powerful diving header that left goalkeeper Iker Casillas rooted.
- Complete coverage of the football World Cup
Please click NEXT for more...
PHOTOS: The BEST goal celebrations at the World Cup!
Italy proved too clever for England, scoring two well-crafted goals and defending doggedly in the Amazon heat to grab a 2-1 win in their opening World Cup Group D game in Manaus, on June 14.
They grabbed the winner in the 50th minute when midfielder Antonio Candreva outfoxed England left back Leighton Baines and chipped a cross deep into the area for Mario Balotelli to head in from close range at the far post.
- Complete coverage of the football World Cup
Please click NEXT for more...
PHOTOS: The BEST goal celebrations at the World Cup!
Goals from James Rodriguez and substitute Juan Quintero gave Colombia a 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast, in Brasilia, on June 19.
Rodriguez broke the deadlock in the 64th minute when he beat substitute Didier Drogba to the ball at a corner and sent it arrowing into the net off goalkeeper Boubacar Barry.
Rodriguez dispossessed Serey Die six minutes later and Teofilo Gutierrez sent Quintero clear to finish coolly past Barry and send the thousands of yellow-clad Colombia supporters thronging the national stadium in Brasilia into ecstasy.
Gervinho pulled one back for the Africans in the 73rd minute but Colombia held firm to clinch victory.
- Complete coverage of the football World Cup
Please click NEXT for more...
PHOTOS: The BEST goal celebrations at the World Cup!
Two goals in four dramatic second-half minutes set lowly Costa Rica on their way to a deserved 3-1 victory over Uruguay in Fortaleza, on June 14.
The Uruguayans took the lead in the Group D clash thanks to a disputed Edinson Cavani penalty midway through the first half before the Central Americans turned the match on its head after the break.
Young striker Joel Campbell chested down a cross from the right and slammed a low shot past keeper Fernando Muslera after 54 minutes. Then centre back Oscar Duarte gave Costa Rica the lead in the 57th minute with a brave diving header at the back post from a Christian Bolanos free kick.
Marco Urena completed the remarkable victory with a third in the 84th minute, silencing an army of sky blue-clad Uruguayan fans in Fortaleza's Castelao arena.
- Complete coverage of the football World Cup
Please click NEXT for more...
PHOTOS: The BEST goal celebrations at the World Cup!
Brazil's poster boy Neymar scored twice and the outstanding Oscar added a late third as the hosts came from behind for a dramatic 3-1 victory over Croatia in the World Cup opening match in Sao Paulo, on June 12.
- Complete coverage of the football World Cup
Please click NEXT for more...
PHOTOS: The BEST goal celebrations at the World Cup!
Neymar had brought Brazil back into the game after 29 minutes with the equaliser after defender Marcelo put through his own net after 11 minutes to give Croatia a shock lead.
Neymar then gave Brazil a 2-1 lead as he cracked in a low left-foot shot that went in off the base of Croatia goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa's left-hand post for his 32nd goal in his 50th international.
Neymar scored his 33rd when Pletikosa got both hands to his penalty but could not stop the ball from going in and Oscar wrapped up the win in the dying minutes.
- Complete coverage of the football World Cup
Please click NEXT for more...
PHOTOS: The BEST goal celebrations at the World Cup!
Chile held off a strong Australian fightback to emerge 3-1 winners in the World Cup Group B clash in Cuiaba, on June 13.
Alexis Sanchez put Chile ahead from close range after 12 minutes and two minutes later Jorge Valdivia made it 2-0 with a well-struck shot as the South Americans looked in control.
Australia fought back strongly, though, and Tim Cahill replied with a header after 35 minutes before Jean Beausejour grabbed a third for Chile in stoppage time.
- Complete coverage of the football World Cup
Please click NEXT for more...
PHOTOS: The BEST goal celebrations at the World Cup!
Belgium fought back from a goal down to score twice in the final 20 minutes and earn a hard-fought 2-1 victory over gutsy Algeria in their World Cup Group H match in Belo Horizonte, on June 17, 2014.
Substitutes Marouane Fellaini and Dries Mertens turned the game around after Algeria playmaker Sofiane Feghouli had given them a 25th minute lead with a penalty.
- Complete coverage of the football World Cup
Please click NEXT for more...
PHOTOS: The BEST goal celebrations at the World Cup!
France sparkled in a 5-2 mauling of neighbours Switzerland in Group E at the World Cup at the Fonte Nova arena in Salvador, on June 20, 2014.
Goals within 66 seconds from Olivier Giroud and Blaise Matuidi put France 2-0 up inside the opening 20 minutes, before the diminutive Mathieu Valbuena scored a third five minutes before halftime.
Benzema kept up a rich vein of recent scoring form as he grabbed France’s fourth in the 67th minute and Moussa Sissoko added the fifth.
Substitute Blerim Dzemaili hammered home a low free nine minutes from time and a volley from Granit Xhaka in the 87th minute gave the Swiss a second late consolation goal.
- Complete coverage of the football World Cup
Please click NEXT for more...
PHOTOS: The BEST goal celebrations at the World Cup!
Substitutes Marouane Fellaini and Dries Mertens scored in the final 20 minutes to help Belgium stage a splendid 2-1 comeback victory over Algeria in the World Cup Group H match in Belo Horizonte, on June 17.
- Complete coverage of the football World Cup
Please click NEXT for more...
PHOTOS: The BEST goal celebrations at the World Cup!
Mexico got just rewards for their attacking intent when Oribe Peralta's 61st minute strike gave them a 1-0 win over Cameroon in their World Cup Group A match in Natal, on June 13.
- Complete coverage of the football World Cup
Please click NEXT for more...
PHOTOS: The BEST goal celebrations at the World Cup!
Portuguese substitute Silvestre Varela scored deep into stoppage-time to secure a dramatic 2-2 draw with the United States in World Cup Group G in Manaus, on June 22.
Clint Dempsey gave US a 2-1 lead in the 81st minute, steering the ball home with his stomach to give his team the lead before Varela converted a Cristiano Ronaldo cross with a powerful flying header.
- Complete coverage of the football World Cup
Please click NEXT for more...
PHOTOS: The BEST goal celebrations at the World Cup!
A goal in each half by striker Enner Valencia gave Ecuador a 2-1 victory over Honduras in World Cup Group E in Curitiba on June 20.
- Complete coverage of the football World Cup
Please click NEXT for more...
PHOTOS: The BEST goal celebrations at the World Cup!
Germany and Ghana drew 2-2 with all the goals coming in a terrific second half of another rip-roaring football World Cup clash in Fortaleza, on June 21.
Mario Goetze nodded Germany ahead in the 51st minute, but Ghana instantly roared into attack. Andre Ayew headed an excellent equalizer three minutes later, and the Ghanaians went ahead when a great interception and pass by Sulley Muntari set up Asamoah Gyan to lash home in the 63rd.
Germany leveled in the 71st minute with a sharp finish by Klose as the substitute claimed his 15th World Cup goal to move level with former Brazil striker Ronaldo as the tournament's all-time leading scorer.
- Complete coverage of the football World Cup
Please click NEXT for more...
PHOTOS: The BEST goal celebrations at the World Cup!
Holders Spain were eliminated from the World Cup following a 2-0 defeat by Chile in the World Cup Group B match in Rio de Janeiro, on June 18.
Goals from Eduardo Vargas after 20 minutes and Charles Aranguiz two minutes before half-time earned Chile a stunning victory and also saw them advance to the last 16.
- Complete coverage of the football World Cup
Please click NEXT for more...