The Friday Forward - Overhead Kicks

Overhead kicks. Or bicycle kicks. Or scissors kicks. Whatever you wish to name them, they can result in some spectacular goals, or on occasion a boot in the face of the opposition.

We decided to pick our five memorable scissor/bicycle/overhead kicks in no particular order - but we welcome your suggestions below in the comments - and links to them where possible.

Mauro Bressan - Fiorentina 3 - 3 Barcelona - Champions League 1999

Mauro Bressan played for a lot of clubs but didn't score a lot of goals from his midfield perch. In 1999, during a Champions League game against Barcelona, he scored what is considered one of the best goals in that tournament's history. From 25 yards out, the Italian fired home this spectular bicycle kick. 

Ronnie Whelan - Ireland 1 - 1 Soviet Union - Euro '88

I remember 1988 for two reasons. The difficulty in finding any yellow, blue or red colouring pens in school due to every last one of them being used up for Dublin Millennium posters and Euro 88.

Eight teams ventured to Germany in the hope of glory. Ireland's maiden voyage to a major Championships. Victory over England, a draw with the Soviet Union only for a late 82th minute Wim Kieft goal to break Irish hearts. But we did get Ronnie Whelan and his sideways scissors kick from a Mick McCarthy throw in. Majestic.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic Sweden 4 - 2 England - Friendly 2012

"He's only a shit Andy Carroll," the England fans sang out. Sweden's Zlatan Ibrahimovic, all 6 ft 5 inches of him, responded in kind putting four past the Joe Harte in the English goal. It was the last one that caused most gasps of awe. Joe Harte may have executed a poor defensive header outside the area but no one would have expected the audacious bicycle kick that followed.  

Of course Joe Harte is not a stranger to the odd overhead kick goal himself.

Trevor Sinclair - QPR v Barnsley - FA Cup 1997

Trevor Sinclair played for five years with QPR. In 168 appearances he hit the net 16 times. One of them was "Match of the Day - Goal of the Season". From outside the area, the former England International met a cross from the right with the sweetest of overhead kicks. Sinclair retired from football in 2008 and now lives in Dubai.

Rene Higuita - England 0 - 0 Colombia - Friendly 1995

Jose Rene Higuita's nickname is El Loco aka The Madman. As a goalkeeper he scored 25 times in 380 appearances for his clubs and in 68 appearances for Colombia he netted eight times. This isn't technically an overhead kick but it's the Rene Higuita version of it (The Scorpion Kick). In 1995, in a friendly against England in Wembley, Higuita executed a highly unorthodox save to deny Jamie Redknapp. You have to see it to believe it.

Wayne Rooney - Manchester United v Manchester City - EPL 2011

In 2012, it was voted the Greatest Goal in the 20 seasons of the Premier League. It was Wayne Rooney's overhead kick in the 77th minute from a Nani cross. 

More goals from Overhead kicks

Paul Keegan - Bray Wanderers -v- Bohemians - 2003

Rivaldo - Barcelona -v- Valencia - La Liga

Marco Fabien Chivas Guadalajara vs. Barcelona - 2011

Marco van Basten - Ajax 3 - 1 FC Den Bosch - 1986