Soccer
Rooney, Ronaldo and...McTominay - ranking the best-ever bicycle-kick goals
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There are few things more satisfying on a football pitch than seeing a player pull off a perfect bicycle-kick and seeing it arrow into the back of the net.
On Tuesday night, Scott McTominay added his name to the list of players who have mastered the technique and scored goals that live long in the memory thanks to an audacious bit of skill.
But where does the Scottish star's worldy rank among the all-time great bicycle-kick goals? DAZN News picks out eight of the best.
Mauro Bressan vs Barcelona 1999
If you're going to be best remembered for one goal, then a ridiculous bicycle-kick against Barcelona in the Champions League is a pretty good way to be thought of.
Bressan's effort for Fiorentina was as audacious as they come, firing up the usual stance for the skill from outside the penalty box and generating enough power and accuracy to see it fly into the net.
It even kissed the crossbar as it went in...which is always a lovely touch.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic vs England 2013
On a night the Three Lions were humbled by the Swedes and, in particular, their mercurial striker, the game is best remembered for a goal that won Ibrahimovic the 2013 Puskas award.
After Joe Hart had left his goal to sweep up a loose ball, the forward saw an opportunity for the spectacular and, with his back to goal from fully thirty yards, managed to pull off a bicycle-kick that looped over the Three Lions stopper and into the net.
It was one of four Zlatan scored that night, but it's this one that fans remember most.
Scott McTominay vs Denmark 2025
Sliding his way into the ranking is the Scottish talisman, who was once again the country's saviour in their time of need.
Needing a win to secure a first World Cup place since 1998, McTominay took just three minutes to open the scoring. He did so in style, meeting the cross with a bicycle-kick that bounced on the ground and then into the net.
Another moment to treasure from the Napoli midfielder.
Cristiano Ronaldo vs Juventus 2018
This was a bicycle-kick so precise it looks like it came straight from a video game rather than the boots of you know who.
All of Ronaldo's muscular frame was at work as the Portuguese rose in the box to meet a cross with the perfect volley and saw the ball fly emphatically into the net.
Even the great Gigi Buffon could do nothing about this wonderstrike, which is among Cristiano's best.
Gareth Bale vs Liverpool 2018
Outdoing his Real Madrid pal that season was Gareth Bale, who saved his moment of magic for the Champions League final, much to the chagrin of Liverpool fans.
The Welshman turned Marcelo's misjudged cross into the perfect set-up for an almighty bicycle-kick that flew past a beleaguered Loris Karius, who had a night to forget.
It was half of a brace that Bale scored from the bench to prove a point to the world and those who doubted him in Madrid.
Wayne Rooney vs Manchester City 2011
Here's one way to shut up the noisy neighbours, with an emphatic bicycle-kick so typical of the skill and explosiveness of Wayne Rooney at his best.
Nani crossed the ball in, and with space behind him and his back to goal, Rooney met it with a thunderous volley past Joe Hart.
It may have come off his shin, but that only makes the technique even better.
Trevor Sinclair vs Barnsley 1997
Forget your Champions League or World Cup qualifiers, because all you need is an FA Cup Fourth Round tie against Barnsley to show off one of the best-ever bicycle-kicks.
QPR's tricky winger was waiting on the edge of the box when a looping ball fell just behind him, and he met it with the perfect touch, on the volley, giving the goalie no chance whatsoever.
Sinclair later 'admitted' he scores them all the time in training. Hmmmmmmm.
Alejandro Garnacho vs Everton
When it comes to pure technique, however, the nod has to go to this goal from Alejandro Garnacho, then of Manchester United.
The Argentine teen was waiting at the far end of the penalty box when the ball was crossed in from a difficult angle, and, with the ball slightly behind him, managed to smash it back towards goal with a perfect bicycle-kick.
Jordan Pickford didn't get anywhere near the world-class wordlie.
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