50 days to go…
We’re counting down to the FIFA World Cup 2026™ by showcasing a golazo from the global finals each day.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst
Uruguay v Netherlands
South Africa 2010 | Semi-finals
Green Point Stadium, Cape Town
A Dutch defender hadn’t scored in open play in the World Cup in 32 years. There seemed zero danger of that changing when Giovanni van Bronckhorst – 40 yards out, near the left touchline – received the adidas Jabulani.
The 35-year-old, who had announced he was retiring from football once the Netherlands’ campaign was over, hadn’t found the target in 29 Eredivisie appearances for Feyenoord the previous season, and had netted just twice in his last 77 internationals.
When he instantly knocked the ball forward and shaped to shoot from what was, according to his coach, “a crazy position”, nobody could believe it. Not Bert van Marwijk, not Van Bronckhorst’s team-mates, and not Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera. An Oranje attack was seconds from abortion, he figured, and he’d soon have the ball in his hands after retrieval from row Z.
Van Bronckhorst, however, dropped jaws en masse with one of the most sensational strikes in World Cup history, which helped the Netherlands win 3-2 and reach a third final.
“There were no tears; just joy,” said Van Bronckhorst. “The last game in my career will be a World Cup final, what can you say?
“It could not be more beautiful. It’s a strike people will always remember me for.”
Frank de Boer, Van Marwijk’s assistant, added: “It was incredibly beautiful. It was really a perfect shot. To strike a ball like that happens maybe once in a lifetime.”
