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After literal months of nominating, voting, and eliminating, we’ve finally whittled down our bracket of 68 goals down to two. It’s time, at long last, to choose the greatest goal in the history of the Brazil national football team.
Let’s meet our contestants, and relive the path each took on its way to the final.
Continue readingIn the last round of voting…
Despite a vocal showing from the Jairzinho-vs-England-in-1970 fan club, Roberto Carlos’ free kick against France won easily with 78% of the vote.
Bebeto’s goal against the Netherlands in 1994 earned 89% of the votes over Elano’s smash against Portugal in 2008.
In the closest contest of the day, Pelé’s famous goal in the 1958 World Cup final got 69% of the vote over Sócrates’ famous goal in the 1982 World Cup opener. Nice.
Lastly, Ronaldinho’s free kick against England in the 2002 World Cup beat Júlio Baptista’s bicycle kick against Catalunya in 2004 with 88% of the vote.
You can view the whole bracket here.
And now…
On Romário Appreciation Day, only one of O Baixinho‘s goals made it through…
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.
You can view the whole bracket so far here.
And now, what you’ve all been waiting for…
In the last round of voting…
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.
You can see the whole bracket so far here.
Now for
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