25 days to go…
We’re counting down to the FIFA World Cup 2026™ by showcasing a golazo from the global finals each day.
Esteban Cambiasso
Argentina v Serbia and Montenegro
Germany 2006 | Group C
FIFA World Cup Stadium, Gelsenkirchen
Esteban Cambiasso was simply hoping to get a kick. The midfielder would ultimately make one that would be labelled ‘a monument of geometry’ by El Mundo and become a study subject in universities all across the planet.
The otherworldly goal began with Maxi Rodriguez burgling Mateja Kezman and the ball falling to Gabriel Heinze. Twenty-four passes and fifty-six seconds later, it was in the back of Dragoslav Jevric’s net. Goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri and right-back Nicolas Burdisso were the only Argentinians not involved in the move, which culminated with Hernan Crespo’s back-heel enabling Cambiasso, who came on for an injured Lucho Gonzalez in the 17th minute, to score.
“When I saw it on TV, it was simply incredible,” recalled ‘Cucho’. “Our coach, Jose Pekerman, would always encourage us to treat the ball well and have neat circulation. And if you watch that goal, you realise that it has everything: patience, change of rhythm, circulation and surprise.”
It also caught its scorer by surprise.
“I hadn’t realised we’d kept the ball for so long, put so many passes together,” explained Cambiasso. “As we went in at half-time, different team-mates were telling me they’d been involved. It was only after the game, when I watched it back, that the magnitude of the goal began to sink in.”
Highlights: Argentina 6-0 Serbia and Montenegro
World Cup wonder goals: Maxi’s marvel
The Germany 2006 quiz
