36 days to go…
We’re counting down to the FIFA World Cup 2026™ by showcasing a golazo from the global finals each day.
Nelinho
Brazil v Italy
Argentina 1978 | Third-place play-off
Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires
People still question if Nelinho meant it. People, that is, who’d never seen him strike a ball. The Rio de Janeiro native netted, after all, around 175 goals in his career – a preposterous return for a right-back.
Nelinho’s most famous came in a medal match against one of the greatest goalkeepers in history. He collected possession on the right wing, in what was exclusively a crossing position, but ripped up rationale by swerving the adidas Tango Durlast around Dino Zoff and into the net.
“I knew Zoff would expect me to cross it, so I decided to shoot,” explained Nelinho, “People who never saw me play ask if I meant it, but people who did know that was a speciality of mine. If I’d wanted to cross, I’d have used the inside of my foot, but I hit it with the outside of my boot with power.
“I caught it perfectly. It was going a good way off target, but then it began to swerve. It caught Zoff by surprise. By the time he realised, it was too late. It was a really beautiful goal.”
It also helped the Seleção seize bronze.
World Cup wonder goals: Nelinho’s ferocious free-kick
Teams with most World Cup podium finishes
