Football fans idolize the great performances by footballers they witnessed in the flesh, and those are the ones the memory has etched forever.
The same applies for those who report on the beautiful game, and even those who have watched from the comfort of their own sofas.
With that in mind here are 10 of the most memorable individual performances I have witnessed since taking a love for the world of football.
10. Michael Owen: Germany 1-5 England, Olympiastadion, Munich, 1 September 2001
England arrived in Munich as underdogs for this World Cup qualifier, and it looked as if the tipsters were right when Carsten Jancker put Germany ahead.
However, Michael Owen went on to lead what became a famous comeback from Sven Goran Eriksson’s team.
Owen, already a world-class striker thanks to his accomplishments with Liverpool and England, equalised for the three lions before Steven Gerrard gave the visitors the lead before the interval.
The striker completed his hat-trick in the second-half and his reputation continued to grow from there as he went on to win the Ballon d’Or three months later, only the sixth British player to be awarded the accolade.
9. David De Gea: Arsenal 1-3 Manchester United – Emirates Stadium, 2 December 2017
You must have heard that the result doesn’t exactly tell the entire story, and this was one game that defines that exact argument.
David De Gea was simply sensational between the stick for Man United as the Spaniard made an incredible 14 saves across 90 minutes against a dominate Arsenal side.
How did Arsenal not win that? How did the hosts not win that match 6-3? These were all questions answer by the brilliance of De Gea and outlined why he could become one of the Premier League’s all-time greats.
8. Ashley Cole: Portugal 2-2 England – Stadium of Light Lisbon, 24 June 2004
The eye-catching performances are usually reserved for strikers, goalkeepers and individual pieces of brilliance.
There is no hesitation, however, in including Ashley Cole’s mouth-watering display at left-back for England during Euro 2004.
Cole was up against a young Cristiano Ronaldo in what would be remembered as a magnificent duel for years to come.
It was, quite simply, a performance that defined the quality Ashley Cole possessed durinf a decorated career at both Arsenal and Chelsea.
Unfortunately, his display wasn’t met by a place in the semi-final, after England inevitably lost on penalties, but such was the left-back’s commitment Gary Neville singled him out for sympathy.
7. Cristiano Ronaldo: Arsenal 1-3 Manchester United, Emirates Stadium, 5 May 2009
Cristiano Ronaldo is arguably the greatest foreign import to have grace the Premier League, and on a glorious night in North London the Portuguese outlined exactly why that is.
Man United were restricted to a first-leg 1-0 win and the home fans were optimistic of a turnaround in the return leg.
Ronaldo changed all that as he assisted the opening goal, scored by Park Ji-sung, before unleashing a blockbuster 40-yard free kick to silence the home crowd in style.
After two pieces of outstanding quality from the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, Ronaldo went on to score one of the greatest counter-attacking Champions League goals, just after the hour, to send United to the final.
6. Gareth Bale: Inter Milan 4-3 Tottenham Hotspurs – San Siro, Milan, 20 October 2010
Spurs may have lost the match at the San Siro, but this was the game that put Gareth Bale’s name on the map.
After a hammering from Inter in the first-half, the Welshman turned on the style in the second-half to score a memorable hat-trick against one of the world’s toughest backline.
Tottenham went onto reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League, but this was a night that stands in huge significance when looking back on the outstanding career Bale has gone onto to achieve.
5. Andrey Arshavin: Liverpool 4-4 Arsenal – Anfield, Liverpool, 21 April 2009
Andrey Arshavin never quite lived up to expectations during his time in North London. He was capable of brilliance – but nothing comes close to his productivity and efficiency on show during a Premier League classic at Anfield.
The Russian was the sole reason the Gunners gathered a priceless point at the home of the six-time European champions as he his four shots on during the game all turned into goals.
In terms of end product, it doesn’t get much better than what Arshavin delivered that magical night in Merseyside.
Yossi Benayoun rescued a point for the hosts – but it was the Arshavin’s night.
4. Ronaldo: Brazil 2-0 Germany – International Stadium, Yokohama, 30 June 2002
A performance that won the sport’s greatest prize must be met with some understanding of its true significance.
Brazil’s fifth World Cup triumph wasn’t simply about Ronaldo’s demolition of the Germans – it was a story of redemption.
Ronaldo was one of the greatest strikers of his generation, but he was a shadow of his brilliant self in France 98 as injuries and mystery surrounding the superstar’s well-being prevented him from claiming his first ever World Cup.
This final in Yokohama represented so much to one of Brazil’s football icons as a result, and Ronaldo responded by scoring twice in 12 minutes to sink Germany.
After chaotic scenes in Yokohama, Ronaldo said; “The nightmare is over. I will not detain everyone talking about my suffering over these last years. God reserved this for me and the Brazil team.”
3. Neymar Jr: FC Barcelona 6-1 PSG – Camp Nou, Barcelona, 8 March 2017
The greatest comeback in Champions League history as Neymar Jr and his teammates turned around a first-leg deficit to progress to the quarter-finals.
But the truth is without the Brazilian’s input at the Camp Nou that magical evening, none of this would have been possible. His energy was infectious and his composure on the ball gave little indication that this was a all-or-nothing showdown.
His stunning free-kick, followed swiftly by converting from the penalty spot, helped the home side on their way to the impossible. It was his exquisite floating ball over the visitor’s defence though that put the cherry on the top as Sergi Roberto connected brilliantly to apply the killer blow.
2. Lionel Messi: Real Madrid 0-2 FC Barcelona – Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, 27 April 2011
Lionel Messi is arguably the greatest footballer to have ever graced the sport, and that talent was illustrated in the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg against Real Madrid.
The six-time Ballon d’Or winner stole the show at the Bernabeu, scoring two sensational goals to help Barcelona down their bitter rivals and progress to the final of the Champions League.
Most memorable of the two scored by Messi was the second as he ran 30 yards, displaying his devastating dribbling ability, to slot home past Iker Casillas.
10. Zinedine Zidane: Brazil 0-3 France – Stade de France, Paris, 12 July 1998
Zinedine Zidane always had an element of graceful elegance to his game, but his display in the 1998 FIFA World Cup final against Brazil was on another level.
The Frenchman glided across the pitch with the ball glued to his feet. His fast feet and skills left the Brazilians for dead with his sublime outside of the boot passing finding his teammates with eases.
Zidane netted a brace as he helped carry his country to their first ever World Cup triumph, and done all this on home soil in front of their beloved fans.
The French midfield maestro continued to perform at the highest level for club and country. Nothing however, comes close to his act for Les Bleus in the 1998 World Cup showpiece.
RK Football Talk 