This article explores 10 biggest open goal misses in football history with some top players in the mix of having squander golden chances.

By Enitan Abdultawab

Sometimes, players find themselves just right in front of the net without a goalkeeper. In these situations, opponents resign to conceding a goal and hope it does not repeat itself.

However, luck – or perhaps a player’s lack of precision – caused them to waste a golden opportunity. What is ironic, quite interestingly, is that open goal misses happen often to big name players who carry their teams on their backs.

Below is a top 10 list of biggest misses in football history:

Some biggest open goal misses in football

10. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United vs Sheffield United) – 2006

Alex Ferguson’s men were trailing by lone goal away at Sheffield and needed to get back to the game when Welsh’s Ryan Giggs, after receiving the ball from the right corner of the box 18, laid a comfortable ball to Ronaldo. It was the simplest of tap-ins but Ronaldo’s little effort only saw the ball skided over the crossbar.

9. Peter van Vossen (Celtic vs Rangers) – 1996

It was another of the Old Firm Derby in the ’90s and a miss that would never be forgotten in the history of the rivalry went down.

Ranger striker Van Rossen led the counter and successfully put to plate a through ball to Jorg Albertz who unselfishly returned the ball to him beside the goalkeeper. Unfortunately, the striker skied the ball over the net; a sight that sent fans placing their arms on their heads.

8. Dele Alli (Tottenham vs Stoke) – 2016

Although Dele Alli scored two goals that night, he could have had a perfect hat-trick if he had scored this open goal.

It was a Premier League night. Dele Alli received a beautiful through pass from Harry Kane, rounded off the onrushing goalkeeper but somehow managed to hit the goalpost instead. Frustrated Mauricio Pochettino’s expression from the sideline said it all – just unfortunate.

7. Raheem Sterling (Manchester City vs Lyon) – 2020

Manchester City were heading towards a third consecutive quarter-final Champions League exit at the Etihad Stadium against Lyon who were in a not-too-comfortable 1- 2 lead. Then came a glorious chance to level the game by Raheem Sterling who found himself with the ball in front of a goalkeeper-less goal net. Quite unfortunately, Raheem Sterling balooned the ball over the net. As if that was enough, Lyon would go on to score another goal that night.

6. Diego Forlan (Manchester United vs Juventus) – 2003

Although it was a friendly between these two powerhouses in Europe at that time, Forlan’s miss was one that no one saw coming. The English club was already 4 – 1 up but could have extended the lead with a cheap goal. The Uruguay international pressed for the ball and got it after a miscommunication between a defender and the goalkeeper at the edge of the box. Now in front of the goal, Forlan rushed the effort and put it wide.

5. Fernando Torres (Chelsea vs Manchester United) – 2011

After a move to Chelsea from Liverpool in the summer of the 2010/2011 season, Fernando Torress suffered a goal drought. The striker was either complacent or unlucky with his chances and it seemed as if he was ‘cursed’ by Liverpool fans who developed a dislike for him because Torres forced his way out of the club.

It was the 83rd minute when Chelsea were trailing at the Old Trafford. A Ramires pass split open the Manchester United’s defence and left Torres alone with De Gea. He did round past the Spanish goalkeeper but somehow failed to put it at the back of the net.

4. Yakubu Ayegbeni (Nigeria vs South Korea) – 2010

The last group stage was a must-win for Nigeria after two consecutive losses to Greece and Argentina in the FIFA World Cup of 2010. Yakubu Ayegbeni and his teammates knew what was at stake after their first-half goal was canceled by two goals from their Asian counterpart.

Yusuf Ayila, after a dazzling run from the left wing, cut a comfortable ball to a waiting Yakubu who somehow diverted it wide. This miss would eventually cloud everything Yakubu had achieved with Nigeria in the eyes of Nigerians.

3. Timo Werner (Germany vs Macedonia) – 2021

Germany were struggling to be back to their mojo in the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers played in 2021. Coach Joachim Low fielded a team that included Timo Werner’s as the top striker but were humbled by Macedonia. After Gundogan levelled the scoreline from a penalty, Germany’s glorious chance came when Gundogan raced inside the penalty box and laid a cool ball unto the feet of Werner. The Chelsea striker – at that time – could only see the ball ricocheted between his feet and could only force itself wide the goal post.

Germany would eventually lose the match five minutes to its end when Eljis Elmas shot sealed one of the biggest shock defeats in football history.

2. Marc Guiu (Chelsea vs Servette) – 2024

After two seasons to forget, Chelsea found themselves playing in the Conference League qualifiers and head coach Enzo Maresca had fielded his team with new-boy from Barcelona, Marc Guiu, being the lone striker in the XI. After all, the young Spaniard had proven that he could do well with his impressive pre-season display. However, a moment came in the match that might leave Enzo Maresca having doubts about him.

As his signatory style, Guiu snatched the ball from the goalkeeper outside the box and looked like he was going to open his Chelsea’s goal-scoring account. But then, Guiu was so complacent that he thought he had the whole goalpost to himself. His effort was sluggish that it was the same goalkeeper who came from behind to recover it. Big, big miss really.

1. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (PSG vs Strasbourg) – 2019

The Cameroonian was a perfect back-up player and attacker for Paris Saint Germain in the season of 2018/2019 which had Kylian Mbappe and Neymar Junior Dos Santos. PSG needed to win that match at home against Strasbourg so as to win the French Ligue that day but somehow found themselves tied to a 2 -2 draw by Strabourg.

After being played through, Christopher Nkunku successfully chipped the goalie with a shot. The ball was headed into the net but Choupo-Moting wanted to help it go in totally but miraculously stopped it in mid-air. BBC described the miss as the ‘worst miss in the history of football’.

Vanguard News