Greatest individual performances ever

[Nani Nana]

One of the joys of football is to see a player stand out in a way nobody thought possible.

What are the greatest individual performances you have ever seen?

I am too young to have watched Maradona but his performance against England in 1986 must be one of the best individual outings ever.

From the games I have watched, Zinedine Zidane in the 1998 World Cup final was a joy to behold. I also remember Carlos Alberto playing a blinder for FC Porto against Monaco in their Champions League final.

Though I don't like him, Gerrard in the 2005 UCL final was instrumental in his team making it back from 0-3.

Any other standouts?

 

[TheMagicFoolBus]

Petr Cech vs Bayern in the CL final in 2012

 

[tomaldinho1]

Lookman last night

 

[AndySmith1990]

Keane vs Juventus

 

[Yakuza_devils]

Diego Armando Maradona for the entire WC 86.

 

[Dr. T]

Juan Roman Riquelme for the entirety of the 2006 world cup (a fantastic clip of which you can see on the you tube).

 

[Cutch]

I sometimes wonder if some of these individual performances get overblown over the years. The 2 that get talked about most are Gerrard 05 v Milan and Keane 99 v Juve. Both scored at the start of a comeback and the general vibe therefore was that it was Roy of the Rovers stuff and both dragged their respective teams through the game. I don't particularly remember the intracies of both games all that well but were they both much more special than they usually are?

 

[Nico87]

Bale vs Inter Milan, made a legit top class Maicon look like a competition winner.

 

[DJ Jeff]

Zidane was amazing in the 06 QF against Brazil.

 

[kaku06]

Keane v Juve at delle alpi
Zidane v Brazil 2006 QF
Basti v Argentina 2014 final
Ronaldinho v Madrid at bernabeau
Messi v Arsenal
Henry v Inter
Rooney v Fenerbahce

 

[Hammondo]

Keane v Juve at delle alpi
Zidane v Brazil 2006 QF
Basti v germany 2014 final
Ronaldinho v Madrid at bernabeau
Messi v Arsenal
Henry v Inter
Rooney v Fenerbahce

Keane Vs Netherlands.

 

[D. Grayson]

(spit) Di María (spit) vs Germany in 2014,

 

[El-Manos]

Hazard vs Brazil a few years ago. Ridiculous performance.

 

[swooshboy]

Beckham vs Greece (and it really did feel like him against Greece on his own!)

 

[Oranges038]

Karius vs Real Madrid

 

[Gio]

Rivaldo against Valencia

I sometimes wonder if some of these individual performances get overblown over the years. The 2 that get talked about most are Gerrard 05 v Milan and Keane 99 v Juve. Both scored at the start of a comeback and the general vibe therefore was that it was Roy of the Rovers stuff and both dragged their respective teams through the game. I don't particularly remember the intracies of both games all that well but were they both much more special than they usually are?

When Michael Cox watched it back he said that Beckham was United's best player in Turn.

 

[17Larsson]

I sometimes wonder if some of these individual performances get overblown over the years. The 2 that get talked about most are Gerrard 05 v Milan and Keane 99 v Juve. Both scored at the start of a comeback and the general vibe therefore was that it was Roy of the Rovers stuff and both dragged their respective teams through the game. I don't particularly remember the intracies of both games all that well but were they both much more special than they usually are?

Keane had many better games than that one I thought.

I've obviously never rewatched the '05 final but a narrative I've heard a few times was that Hamman was the one that changed the game when he came on

 

[Trequarista10]

Karius vs Liverpool

Fixed

 

[Eriku]

Keane v Juve at delle alpi
Zidane v Brazil 2006 QF
Basti v germany 2014 final
Ronaldinho v Madrid at bernabeau
Messi v Arsenal
Henry v Inter
Rooney v Fenerbahce

Treason!

 

[Pascal Quiff]

I sometimes wonder if some of these individual performances get overblown over the years. The 2 that get talked about most are Gerrard 05 v Milan and Keane 99 v Juve. Both scored at the start of a comeback and the general vibe therefore was that it was Roy of the Rovers stuff and both dragged their respective teams through the game. I don't particularly remember the intracies of both games all that well but were they both much more special than they usually are?

I can only speak to Gerrard but he was amazing in that match - scored a brilliant header, made the run that led to Alonso's penalty and then filled in at RB in extra time and stifled their left flank attack.

 

[Pintu]

Lookman last night belongs in this list

 

[T00lsh3d]

Bale vs Inter Milan, made a legit top class Maicon look like a competition winner.

Yeah this always comes to mind. He wasn’t fully established as a superstar at the time but after that performance it was unquestionable

 

[simplyared]

George Best 1968 European Cup Final v Benfica. I think Johnny Aston got motm but that was crazy. Bestie was magic throughout and topped his performance with a brilliant solo effort after dancing his way out of a lunged tackle by the Benfica defender and rounding the goalie then placing the ball into the empty net. Poetry in motion!

 

[simonhch]

All good shouts in here. Rivaldo vs Valencia was an especially epic one. Would also like to add Schmeichel vs Newcastle when we got battered but won 1-0.

 

[HTG]

Neuer vs. Porto
Lewandowski vs. Real
Lewandowski vs. Wolfsburg

 

[Sir Erik ten Hag]

Ronaldo vs Atletico Madrid (Hattrick in second-leg, Juventus completing a comeback)
Lewandowski vs Real Madrid (4 goals for Dortmund)
De Gea vs Arsenal in 2017
Lukaku vs PSG (That night in Paris for United)
Rooney vs Leverkusen in 2013 (He got 4 assists in that match or something)
McTominay vs Leeds (He destroyed Leeds that night)
Memphis vs FC Midtjylland (Europa League)
Memphis vs Club Brugge (Champions League playoff)
Fellaini vs Ajax (Europa League Final)
Ronaldo vs Manchester United
Ronaldo vs Tottenham (Hattrick for us)

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

Ronaldo vs Atletico Madrid (Hattrick in second-leg, Juventus completing a comeback)
Lewandowski vs Real Madrid (4 goals for Dortmund)
De Gea vs Arsenal in 2017
Lukaku vs PSG (That night in Paris for United)
Rooney vs Leverkusen in 2013 (He got 4 assists in that match or something)
McTominay vs Leeds (He destroyed Leeds that night)
Memphis vs FC Midtjylland (Europa League)
Memphis vs Club Brugge (Champions League playoff)
Fellaini vs Ajax (Europa League Final)
Ronaldo vs Manchester United
Ronaldo vs Tottenham (Hattrick for us)

Goodness some of these are so off the mark

One I'll note is Iniesta vs. Real at the Bernabeau in 2015. Got an ovation that night and really was unplayable that entire year behind MSN.

 

[Bestie07]

Falcao vs Chelsea when he was at Atletico. Sensational.

 

[Gehrman]

Messi vs Man Utd 2011 final. Didnt score a million goals but looked a class above everyone else.

 

[FrankDrebin]

Beckham vs Greece
Zidane vs Portugal Euro 2000
Robben vs Spain 2014 WC

 

[17Larsson]

George Best 1968 European Cup Final v Benfica. I think Johnny Aston got motm but that was crazy. Bestie was magic throughout and topped his performance with a brilliant solo effort after dancing his way out of a lunged tackle by the Benfica defender and rounding the goalie then placing the ball into the empty net. Poetry in motion!

I watched that game a few years ago and my memory is of Best being a bit lazy, wasteful, and greedy but with sprinkles of magic moments throughout.
For me Charlton stood out as by far the best player on the pitch

 

[Cutch]

Rivaldo against Valencia

Yeah it's Rivaldo v Valencia or Bale v Inter Milan or Ronaldo v United that jump right to the head of the list for me. You don't necessarily have to score a hat trick but those 3 were superb

 

[Oranges038]

Ronaldinho vs Madrid.

Think even the Madrid fans gave him a standing ovation that day.

 

[Stack]

Roberto Baggio dragging Italy to a world cup final, its a shame he missed his penalty as he had been brilliant the whole tournament.

 

[Stack]

Bryan Robson v Barcelona

 

[GlasgowCeltic]

Bale vs Inter Milan, made a legit top class Maicon look like a competition winner.

The 4-3 was the first time seeing Coutinho play and he was fantastic in the first half (was 4-0 at half time)

 

[piesel]

Zidane performance for Juve in the 96/97 CL semifinal return leg vs Ajax was otherworldly.

 

[kaku06]

Treason!

Haha, apologies.

 

[fps]

All good shouts in here. Rivaldo vs Valencia was an especially epic one. Would also like to add Schmeichel vs Newcastle when we got battered but won 1-0.

Schmeichel was incredible in that match.

Also Mbappe World Cup final hat trick anyone? Messi in the same match?

 

[kaku06]

Neuer v Manutd 2011
De gea v arsenal
Schmeichel v Newcastle