10 of the best headers in recent football

2) Papiss Cisse’s wonder header from outside the box, AFCON qualifiers 2013

Papiss Cisse is best remembered for his mind-numbing swerving strike against Chelsea, and this header is equally impossible to fathom.

Why is this a great headed goal?

Cisse is running towards the goal and the ball is also travelling in the same direction. Unlike most headers, where a striker simply deflects the ball from its original trajectory, here Cisse has to force the ball to keep moving in the same direction and impart enough power on it from outside the box to beat the keeper.

A magnificent goal, and, for me, better than the one against Chelsea.

1) Jared Borgetti’s wonder header vs Italy, 2002 World Cup

And here it is. The undisputed number 1 header in recent football. Jared Borgetti’s header leaves you speechless even after multiple viewings, and the jury is still out on how he actually scored this goal.

Why is this a great headed goal?

Borgetti runs towards the ball, pirouettes, imparts enough spin on the ball to curl it into the far post and beats the keeper from an impossible angle. If this is not the greatest header in recent times, then I don’t know what is.