The Garnacho bicycle kick versus Everton is rightly being called the goal of the season in the English Premier League. But really, you have to say it is right up there in terms of best goals of all-time. I mean it is doubtful that Garnacho will score a better goal in his professional soccer career.
It is just incredible the way Garnacho comes back to the ball and pulls off the bicycle kick. The cross from Diogo Dalot is actually behind him. He has to adjust back towards the soccer ball.
Everton goalkeeper Jordan Lee Pickford has no chance at saving the shot since it’s hit with so much power. That’s part of what makes the bike so incredible – the clean strike and how high Garnacho gets up in the air to get a hold of the ball.
Also, don’t forget that Garnacho is just 19 years old. The Manchester United scout who discovered and helped bring him into the team deserves a lot of credit!
The whole play itself though is worth looking at. It starts with a perfectly driven ball by Victor Lindelof out wide to Marcus Rashford. It is a laser of a pass to Rashford by Lindelof. But this long ball by Lindelof is only possible because Dalot makes a run inside to drag defenders away. It’s his movement that opens up space for Rashford to receive the pass from Lindelof. Rashford then slips the ball forward to an on running Dalot who sends in a cross to the back post where Garnacho reads the play and comes back to the ball and pulls off the bicycle kick.
Garnacho’s bicycle kick comes just as the game is starting too. In the third minute in fact. A jolt of a goal to start the game for Manchester United. Moreover, the Garnacho bicycle kick could give him and the entire team a boost of confidence for the rest of the season. A boost that might give Manchester United confidence to challenge to finish at least in the top four.
The big question after the Garnacho bicycle kick was whether it topped the Wayne Rooney overhead kick from a few years ago against Manchester City. You’d have to say it did since Garnacho strikes the ball more cleanly and not so much with his shin like Rooney. Although the Rooney bicycle kick is incredibly impressive too. If you listen call of the the bicycle kick goal by Garnacho you can even hear his boot or the laces of his foot impact the ball.
I hope to see Lionel Messi make a pass to Garnacho in a game for Argentina soon. Perhaps it won’t be an assist on a bicycle kick like this of course. However, it should be equally satisfying to see Garnacho find success with Argentina and maybe score similar goals.