Pulse List 2017: 10 fantastic goals of the year

We look at 10 goals that got everyone in the football world talking in 2017.

Pulse List 2017 article on the best goals we saw in 2017.

Goals are the end results of brilliance and the crowning moments in football. They draw distinctions between teams, players and coaches. The best team score the most goals, the worst teams concede the most goals.

In 2017, we saw a host of fantastic goals scored across the world and that’s why this Pulse 2017 piece is important.

These are the best 10 goals of 2017 in no particular order. 

I. Olivier Giroud (Arsenal Vs Crystal Palace, January)

 

Number one on this list is the goal by Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud which he scored in their 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on January 1.

In a swift counter-attacking move by Arsenal, Alexis Sanchez played a low cross into the Palace box which was slightly behind Giroud, but it was no problem for the striker who acrobatically touched with his toe to beat goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey.

 

The goal won the Puskas Award at the 2017 FIFA Best Football ceremony.

2. Sikiru Olatunbosun (For MFM against Enugu Rangers, February)

 

From the gritty grounds of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) MFM FC star Sikiru Olatunbosu that got the Nigerians and even the world talking with his wonder goal which he scored in a February home 2-1 win over Enugu Rangers.

The MFM FC left-footer quickly became an internet sensation as the clip of his goal went viral on the world-wide-web.

After collecting a pass, Olatunbosun looped the ball over Rangers captain and right-back Matthew Etim before firing off a fierce shot with his left foot into the top corner.

 

France’s L’Equipe called it 'magnifique'; Spain’s El Mundo Deportivo named it El golazo de la jornada; Brazil’s Globo named it 'Candidato ao Puskas' and Italy’s La Gazetta dello Sport called it remarkably, a ‘supergol’.

It was also voted CNN’s Goal of the Week after it got 82% of the vote beating competition from Radja Nainggolan of Roma, Youri Tielemans of Anderlecht and Joey Jones of Woking FC.

3. Wayne Rooney (For Everton against West Ham in December)

 

Wayne Rooney is a proven scorer of great goals and in 2017 he gave us one of the best of the year.

The Premier League legend completed a hattrick in Everton’s 4-0 win over West Ham in November in stunning style.

West Ham goalkeeper Joe Hart stormed out of his 18-year-old box to clear a ball which got to Rooney in the Everton half just after the centre circle.

The former Manchester United star with his first touch, played a long ball which landed in the back of the net with Hart nowhere to be found.

Rooney had also scored a similar goal for Manchester United, also against West Ham.

4. Aviles Hurtado (For Tijuana against Atlas in April)

 

From the Mexican league came one of the best goals of 2017  by Aviles Hurtado who scored an overhead kick for Tijuana against Atlas in April.

With Tijuana leading 1-0, Hurtado pounced on a corner kick to score with an overhead kick.

5. Moussa Dembele (For Celtic against St Johnstone in February)

 

Moussa Dembele netted a hat-trick just after coming on as a substitute in Celtic’s 5-2 win over St Johnstone in a Scottish Premiership game.

One of his three games in the game was on the end of a fantastic team move including a rabona. Every Celtic player on the pitch touched the ball in the build-up to the goal.

 6. Mario Mandzukic ( For Juventus against Real Madrid in June)

 

Juventus in need of a spark after going 1-0 down to Real Madrid in the 2017 Champions League final,  Mario Mandzukic conjured up a miracle to draw the Italian giants level.

Gonzalo Higuaín got a touch of the ball in the Real Madrid area before playing it to Mandzukic who with his back to goal, controlled with his chest before letting go an overhead kick which beat the goalkeeper.

The beauty coupled with the occasion put the goal undoubtedly on this list.

7. Nemanja Matic (For Chelsea against Tottenham in April)

 

Nemanja Matic sealed Chelsea’s FA Cup final place with one of the best goals of the year. With Chelsea leading 3-2 and Tottenham chasing an equaliser, the midfielder let fly a fierce left-footed drive into the top corner to give Chelsea a two-goal lead.

8. Alain Traore (For Burkina Faso against Ghana in February)

 

Alain Traore scored a late winner for Burkina Faso in the third-place match of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) against Ghana.

The 28-year-old let go a fierce left-footed freekick from 20 yards out from the right.

9. Rachid Alioui (For Morocco against Côte d’Ivoire in January)

 

Rachid Alioui scored one of the most brilliant goals of the 2017 AFCON, netting a fantastic effort in the 1-0 win over Cote d’Ivoire in the last game of Group C.

One on one against a defender just outside the area, Alioui curled a ball past the unexpecting goalkeeper.

10. Emre Can (For Liverpool against Watford in May)

 

An Emre Can fantastic overhead kick gave Liverpool a crucial win over Watford in the Premier League in May 2017.

In the final minutes of the first half at Vicarage Road Emre Can surge forward from midfield before leaping into the air, twisting himself to deliver an acrobatic scissor-kick to score Liverpool’s eventual winner.