Michael Bradley Versus Carli Lloyd: Chipping the Keeper From Half Field

This is one of those who did it better type goals, but both just amazing goals in big games from nearly half field. Carli Llyod’s took place in a World Cup final. Michael Bradley scored his against Mexico at Azteca stadium. Goals for history for sure. Tough to say which was better.

For Bradley, the U.S. tied the game, so his goal wasn’t a game winner. If it had been, man you’d have to say it’s one of the greatest goals of all time for the United States. An incredible goal either way though, near the top if the top.

As Bradley walked off the field at half-time, Tim Howard walked up to him and gave him a smile, like wow, what an incredible goal you just scored. Bradley a year or so playing for Roma in the Italian league, I’m sure Totti smiled when he watched highlights of the goal. Totti chipped a keeper quite a few times during his playing days.

If Bradley had just kept running off the soccer field and into the locker room after scoring the goal you couldn’t have really blamed him. He should have at least ripped off his jersey and just thrown it into the stands – who care if he got a yellow card or needed another jersey.

Lloyd’s goal was equally crazy, good, just amazing. It was also the third of the day for her in a World Cup final against Japan, who’d beat the United States recently. The overhead shot from the camera of the goal gives you an even better perspective on just how incredible the half field chip shot is from Lloyd. As far as distance from goal, Lloyd has the edge over Bradley clearly.

Lloyd and Bradley are both hard charging midfielders who have started to score more goals later in their careers. Both more or less the heart and soul of their teams. Lloyd tweeted about Bradley’s goal, not mentioned hers, which she didn’t have to.

You might say the Lloyd’s goal changed her career. It pushed her further into the elite of women’s top soccer players. She was already near the top, one of the best in the women’s game, but it was audacious, the type of goal best players score. For Bradley, while not near the best in the world, he’ll certainly go down as one of the best midfielders for the United States, ever.

And finally, what’s certainly true for both goals is the goalkeeper just must have felt terrible after conceding such a goal. But they were both pretty much perfect shots and you can’t really blame the keepers all that much.

What’s also true is both Lloyd and Bradley will go down in soccer history as two of the best and most important players for the United States.