#1 Rene Higuita vs England (England vs Colombia 1995)
Video credit: FATV
Rene Higuita was a part of the golden generation of Colombia expected to win the 1994 World Cup. While things didn’t pan out as intended for the national side with the raging drug war in the country a perilous distraction, Higuita was a revolutionary goalkeeper, often going up to take free-kicks and penalties, scoring an incredible 41 goals in his club career and also 3 with his national team.
Nicknamed ‘El Loco’ (The Madman), his eccentric playing style and taking of unnecessary risks saw him equally adored and criticised.
However, his biggest claim to fame is his invention of the scorpion kick, a clearance where the keeper jumps forward, positions his leg over his head and in doing so, kicks the ball away with his heels. His successful execution of the kick against Jamie Redknapp’s shot in a friendly with England in 1995 will go down as one of the most iconic moments in footballing history (even though if we’re being pedantic, the linesman had already flagged for offside).
His trick earned him considerable media attention and was also ranked 94th in Channel 4’s 100 Greatest Sporting Moments in 2002.
ICC Champions Trophy 2025, ICC Champions Trophy India Schedule, India Squad ICC Champions Trophy, ICC Champions Trophy Schedule