Top Goals of the World Cup

What a World Cup!  I'm sad it's over, and even sadder that we have to wait four years until the next one in Russia.  And congratulations to Germany, a most deserving champion.  While I was pulling for Brazil and/or Argentina to keep up that South American magic on this side of the Atlantic, the best team definitely won.  Kudos do also go out to Brazil, though.  Despite all the doomsday predictions, they did a tremendous job as hosts and only made people that much more excited to come back to Rio in two years for the Olympics.

This was definitely the most exciting World Cup that I can remember, maybe the best ever (although I still hold great esteem for the World Cup hosted by the U.S. 20 years ago).  It also tied France 1998 as the highest-scoring World Cup in history.  While the goals became harder and harder to come by as the tournament went on, there were still 171 over the course of the 64 matches.  That gives us plenty to choose from for a Top 10 list (special thanks to Steve Misevic, my soccer guru, for his assistance in compiling the list)...

10. David Luiz (Brazil) vs. Colombia
No. 10 was a tough call, but back before Brazil was a national embarrassment, they were the favorites, and they played like it for a couple rounds.  Neymar had a brilliant goal against Cameroon in the final group game, but Brazil's best goal of the tournament?  That was by David Luiz on a brilliant free kick against Colombia in the quarterfinals.  David Luiz also got bonus points because he has awesome hair.

9. Lionel Messi (Argentina) vs. Iran
Messi's the best player in the world and he got his team to the final.  Even if his MVP was a little questionable (I would've voted for Thomas Mueller), he did show flashes of his greatness, most notably his game-winner in stoppage time against Iran.

8. David Villa (Spain) vs. Australia
Defending champion Spain famously fizzled out after two games.  But in their third game, the Spaniards showed why they had won the last three major tournaments before this one.  Take this goal by New York City FC's own David Villa.

7. Clint Dempsey (USA) vs. Ghana
It came 30 seconds into Team USA's World Cup journey, and it was magnificent.  It wasn't a game-winner or even a game-tying goal, but it did set the tone for the US coming out of the "Group of Death," along with champion Germany.

6. Haris Seferovic (Switzerland) vs. Ecuador
While not the prettiest goal of the tournament, this one makes the list because of its significance.  A game-winner in the 93rd minute of the first group play game between Switzerland and Ecuador, setting the stage for the number of comebacks and late goals to come.

5. Silvestre Varela (Portugal) vs. USA
The U.S. was seconds away from upsetting Portugal deep in the Amazon rainforest, holding Cristiano Ronaldo in check for 95 minutes.  Then this happened.

4. Mario Goetze (Germany) vs. Argentina
It wasn't the best goal of the tournament.  It could be argued that it wasn't even the best GERMAN goal of the tournament.  But this is the one that won the World Cup.  That alone is enough to earn a place in the top five.

3. James Rodriguez (Colombia) vs. Uruguay
World soccer's newest star has arrived.  James Rodriguez won the Golden Boot as the tournament's top scorer, and rightfully so.  Without question, his most spectacular goal came in Colombia's round of 16 win over Uruguay.  During the game broadcast, the ESPN announcers were debating whether it was the best goal of the tournament, but I've got it at No. 3.  Regardless, it was brilliant.

2. Robin Van Persie (Netherlands) vs. Spain
We got our first surprise of the tournament on Day Two, when the Netherlands crushed Spain 5-1 in that 2010 final rematch that happened way too early.  It was also the sign of things to come for both the Dutch, who finished third, and the Spanish, who flamed out spectacularly.  Speaking of spectacular, there was this amazing diving header by Robin Van Persie that was nominated for an ESPY.

1. Tim Cahill (Australia) vs. Netherlands
Believe it or not, those amazing goals by James and Van Persie don't take the cake as "Best Goal of the World Cup."  Our winner here is one of the most spectacular soccer goals I've ever seen.  And that was by Australia's (and the MetroStars') Tim Cahill.  In fact, some experts are calling it the best World Cup goal ever.  Fun fact, Australia has a total of 11 goals in its World Cup history.  Cahill has scored five of them.

That's my list.  Feel free to disagree.  I think that, without question, my top three were the three best goals of the tournament, but the order for the others is much more open to debate.  What all of these goals have in common, though, is that the goalkeepers had little to no chance of stopping them.  Ten sensational goals from a sensational World Cup.  See you in Russia in 2018.  Good luck trying to top Brazil.