Nothing destroys the confidence of a goalkeeper like the ball sailing over his head. Watching it float high beyond his grasp as he is rooted to the spot. As the ball soars the confidence plummets.
The Croatian forward Davor Suker scored the greatest version of this type of goal (in my opinion). The image of it burned into my mind, partly because it arrived during a golden football period. The summer of 1996. During those years many of my footballing favouritisms formed. My favourite Liverpool side. My favourite player (Jari Litmanen). My favourite chip.
The goal came during Euro 96 in England, another significant event in the life of a certain generation of football fan. England hosting a major tournament for the first time in their lifetime and England being very, very good.
It was all so glorious and Suker’s effort came in the midst of this purple patch.
Croatia were in total control, two goals in front against Denmark at Hillsborough. In the final minute Peter Schmeichel pushed up into Denmark’s penalty area to attack a corner. Croatia prevented the cross and won a free kick. Schmeichel had to sprint back to his goal. From Croatia’s right hand side a long diagonal pass was struck into the forward running Suker. Suker’s left foot was the brush of an artist. Deft, controlled and highly skilled. However, this long diagonal pass was perfectly subdued by his right foot on the half volley. Pushing it out for him to stride on to. The second touch is less perfect, taking the ball towards the corner of the penalty area. Schmeichel was retreating, but having reached the edge of his six yard box he begins to advance. With the ball a few yards inside the box Suker produces the most beautiful, flighted finish that leaves one of the great goalkeepers waving at air. Schmeichel sinks to his knees. Suker celebrates.
Davor Suker possessed one of the great left foots of the 1990s/2000s. His finishing abilities integrated placement, craft and fierce power. Never was it better than in that moment against Denmark.
For such a great goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel went through a very dark period in the mid 90s. Players just kept chipping him.
It started with Suker in June ’96.
Then in October ’96 came Phillipe Albert.
Matt Le Tissier produced a magnificent chip in a 6-3 win for Southampton.
Fortunately for Schmeichel and Manchester United this dark period would not prove terminal.
There are certain players who were specialist chippers. Dennis Bergkamp specialised in sitting the goalkeeper down before lifting the up and over.
Real Madrid legend Raul was also fond of the chipped goal.
Then there is the great Lionel Messi. Not satisfied with the humiliation of being able to score at seemingly any time he also floats those finishes over their helpless form.
There is much more going on here than just the chip. It is not an accident that I have mentioned humiliation. The chip wins the psychological war. When Pirlo decided he needed to snatch away Joe Hart’s confidence during the 2012 penalty shoot out between England and Italy he turned to the chip, the Panenka penalty.
Then there are different types. The ball is being lofted up and over but we have nuanced different ways.
- Clip – Digging the foot under the ball to apply the loft and drop as a player would when playing a long pass.
- Flip – Using the pace on the ball and fliipping/reversing the ball over the goalkeeper.
- Dink – A finish where the ball is only lifted slightly, just enough to get it over goalkeeper who is going to ground and with next to no back lift.
- Scoop – The players foot goes right under the ball and is lifted high over the goal keeper, slowly dropping into the net
- Stab/Prod – The player jabs their foot at the bottom part of the ball, quickly getting it up in the air.
The chip is a great technical and psychological achievement.
Euro ’96 provided two of the definitive archetypes of these finishes. As well as Suker’s glorious moment Karel Poborsky produced a stunning scooped finsish for the Czexh Republic against Portugal. Very few lifted finishes from the ground achieve such height and drop.
Why is Suker’s goal my perfect example of the genre?
It came from a cult icon. Suker himself was a magnificent player but was not global megastar. He was player popular to those with knowledge. The hipsters footballer before the hipster existed.
Then there is the goalkeeper he scored past. The man considered the best in the world for a prolonged period. A player who many consider won Euro ’92 for Denmark.
Then there is the finish itself. The ball is in slightly the wrong place. It is under his feet. Not to the outside of his left foot, which would make it easy to clip. Suker could let the ball run slightly further but he decides to take it from a more awkward position because of what Schmeichel is offering him and because he is in possession of such refined technique that he can still craft a finish. Suker delivers a magnificent stabbed, lofted finish that is one of the great pieces of footballing artistry from the televised era.
Iconic.