78 days to go…
We’re counting down to the FIFA World Cup 2026™ by showcasing a golazo from the global finals each day.
Adrian Ilie
Romania v Colombia
France 1998 | Group G
Stade de Gerland, Lyon
It was billed as a battle between Romania and Colombia’s greatest-ever players, veterans Gheorghe Hagi and Carlos Valderrama. It would not, nevertheless, be settled by ‘The Maradona of the Carpathians’ or ‘El Pibe’, but by ‘The Cobra’.
Hagi was the goal’s co-star, playing an imaginative back-heel to Adrian Ilie. The Valencia forward took a touch, slithered past Mauricio Serna and, from an examining angle, with Ever Palacios sliding in purposefully, intuitively toe-poked the ball over Faryd Mondragon and into the top corner.
The 1-0 win ultimately helped Anghel Iordanescu’s troops top the section above David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Michael Owen, Alan Shearer and England.
