At long last, we are done with the first round. In the last block of first-round voting…
Carlos Alberto’s legendary World Cup final goal advanced by unanimous consent over Oscar’s legendary U-20 World Cup final goal:
Edmilson’s bicycle kick against Costa Rica in 2002 beat Pelé’s goal from the 1970 World Cup final with 60% of the vote:
Bebeto’s volley against Argentina in the 1989 Copa América earned 88% of the vote over Cafu’s goal against Wales in 2000:
And Marta’s legendary goal against the USA at the 2007 World Cup garnered 92% of the vote over Cristiane’s overhead kick against Nigeria at the 2008 Olympics.
His goal against Israel in 1987 lost to Nelinho’s famous swerving shot in the 1978 World Cup third-place match, which won 61% of the vote:
His volley against Mexico in 1997 beat Pelé’s goal against Romania in the 1970 World Cup, earning 62% of the vote:
His backheel against Mexico in 2001 lost out to Careca’s famous goal against France in the 1986 World Cup, which won 60% of the vote:
And his goal against Italy in the 1997 Le Tournoi lost, just barely, to Marta’s solo goal against the USA in 2014, which squeaked by with 52% of the vote. Her win guarantees that we’ll have two goals from the women’s team in the round of 32.
Kaká’s solo goal against Argentina in 2006 beat out Ronaldo’s U-23 goal against Denmark with 83% of the vote:
Also with 83% of the vote was Adriano’s second goal against Argentina in the 2005 Confederations Cup final, which beat Roberto Carlos’ goal in a 1999 friendly against the Netherlands…
With 71% of the votes, Zico’s scissor kick against New Zealand in 1982 upset Gabriel Jesus’ opener against Argentina in last summer’s Copa América semifinal…
And with, you guessed it, 83% of the vote, David Luiz’ free kick against Colombia in the 2014 World Cup quarterfinal beat Willian’s volley against them in a 2017 World Cup qualifier.
Now for…
TODAY’S VOTING
I noted earlier that in the process of compiling this bracket I gained a newfound appreciation for Romário’s incredible talents. With so many of his goals making the bracket, I’m taking this opportunity to present four matchups that each include a goal from O Baixinho, each showing a different facet of his remarkable abilities.
All these matchups begin with the higher-seeded goal, so Romário Appreciation Day in fact begins with Nelinho’s famous goal from the 1978 World Cup third-place game against Italy—fittingly for the day’s theme, scored with the outside of his boot.
It faces this elaborate team goal from a 4-0 friendly win over Brazil. There’s a lot to like here—Josimar’s dribble out from the back, Edu’s first-time outside-of-the-boot pass to Müller, Romário’s elegant takedown, slalom, and finish.
Our next matchup features Pelé’s free kick goal against Romania from the group stage of the 1970 World Cup.
This Romário goal is a stellar volley from a 1997 friendly against Mexico.
This time, the World Cup goal is against France—Careca finishing an elegantly constructed move in what ultimately ended up being a quarterfinal loss on penalties.
Romário’s contribution this time is a flying backheel that tied up a 2001 friendly against Mexico with almost the last kick of the game.
We finish off with a late Romário equalizer against Italy in the 1997 Le Tournoi, the same friendly tournament where Roberto Carlos scored his legendary free kick.
It’s up against a goal from one of Marta’s most iconic performances, a hat-trick on home soil in a come-from-behind 3-2 win against the USA in the 2014 International Women’s Football Tournament in Brasília. The goal in question is the solo run that leveled the scores:
This is also a great time to re-up this great SBNation video about how institutional sexism and apathy within Brazil’s football infrastructure killed Marta’s chances of winning the Women’s World Cup.
Let’s see if we can’t get this round of voting done by Tuesday night. After this, just one more round of voting before we move on to the round of 32!
Ronaldinho’s solo goal against Haiti in 2004 upset Neymar’s volley against Mexico in the 2013 Confederations Cup, managing 55% of the vote:
Kaká’s opener against Egypt at the 2009 Confederations Cup scooted past Paulinho’s long-range shot against Uruguay in a 2017 World Cup qualifier, with 65% of the vote:
Éder’s game-winning goal from the opening match of the 1982 World Cup got 91% of the vote over Rivelino’s clinching goal in the 1989 World Cup of Masters final:
And Oscar’s goal against Belarus at the 2012 Olympic Games beat out Daniela’s opener against Norway in the 2008 Olympic quarterfinal, with 71% of the vote:
Roberto Carlos’ legendary free kick against France in 1997 thrashed Maicon’s solo goal against Paraguay in 2004 with 87% of the vote.
Sócrates’ long-range shot against USSR at the 1982 World Cup just beat out Ronaldo’s second goal from the 2002 World Cup final, with 54% of the votes.
Ronaldinho’s free kick against England in the 2002 World Cup quarterfinals won very easily over Márcio Rossini’s backheel against Sweden in 1983, with 91% of the vote.
The final matchup was between Júlio Baptista’s goal against Catalunya, probably the best bicycle kick in Seleção history, and Éder’s goal against Scotland in the 1982 World Cup, probably the best chip in Seleção history. Fittingly, it ended in a perfect tie, and as a tiebreaker, I’ve decided to use a very complex set of criteria: I’m running this tournament, so I’m picking the one I like better. Júlio Baptista it is.
Jairzinho’s goal against England in the 1970 World Cup group stage garnered 84% of the vote against Elivelton’s run through the Czechoslovakian defense in 1991:
Bebeto’s goal against the Netherlands in the 1994 World Cup quarterfinal beat Careca’s bicycle kick against Argentina in 1985 with 72% of the vote:
Elano’s smash against Portugal in 2008 beat out Careca’s volley against Chile in the 1993 Copa América with 64% of the vote:
And with 92% of the vote, Pelé’s juggling act in the 1958 World Cup final against Sweden trounced Formiga’s equalizer against Germany in the 2008 Olympic semifinal.
But one of those upset winners was not Paulinho’s winner against Germany in the 2017 U-17 World Cup quarterfinals, as Ronaldinho’s first goal for Brazil very comfortably beat it out with 75% of the vote.
Josimar’s goal against Poland in the 1986 World Cup round of 16 was a different story, earning 61% of the vote against Júnior’s higher-seeded strike against Argentina in the 1982 World Cup:
Less of a surprise was Adriano’s insanely clutch last-minute tying goal in the 2004 Copa América final beating out Rivaldo’s long-range strike in a 2000 friendly against Thailand with 69% of the vote.
And in the biggest upset so far, Pelé’s goal against Mexico in the 1962 World Cup group stage beat Romário’s opener against the Netherlands in 1994 with an impressive 78% of the vote:
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