Thirty Years of the Premier League: Bergkamp Beauty voted competition's greatest goal

Alexander Boyes
04 August 2022
2:00 min read

Top 10 Best Goals in Premier League history

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Betfair have teamed up with YouGov to celebrate the Premier League's 30th anniversary, surveying over 1000 football fans, who reveal their top 10 best goals in history...

#1 - Dennis Bergkamp (v Newcastle - March 2002)

Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp's classy goal against Newcastle in 2002 has been voted as the greatest goal in Premier League history.

The Dutchman, known for netting plenty of splendid goals during his time in the English top-flight, beat off competition from the likes of David Beckham, Eric Cantona and even long-time former teammate Thierry Henry to the crown.

Receiving the ball on the edge of the area with his back to goal, and a defender on his back, Bergkamp improvised one of the most renowned pieces of skill ever seen to knock it around the defender in one touch, before showing sheer strength to leave the defender on the ground, and coolly slotting past an on-rushing Shay Given.

The Premier League has seen over 30,000 goals since its inception in 1992, proving just how significant the impression Dennis Bergkamp has left on football fans around the UK to come out on top.

#2 - Wayne Rooney (v Manchester City - February 2011)

Any goal in a Manchester derby is extra special, but when Wayne Rooney decided to leap into the air and rifle home an overhead kick straight into the top corner at Old Trafford, the Englishman moved it up another level.

Rooney, Manchester United's greatest ever goalscorer (253), chose the perfect fixture to further etch his name into United folklore by netting one of the Premier League's most iconic goals.

Manchester City 'keeper Joe Hart, who enjoyed the most clean sheets of any goalkeeper in 2010-11 (18), could only stand and watch the ball fly into the net, shrugging his shoulders to suggest there was simply nothing he could do.

The Red Devils would eventually wrestle the title back from Chelsea come the end of the season - their 19^th top-flight trophy - moving one clear of Liverpool to become England's most successful club (which they still are, with 20 titles to Liverpool's 19).

Rounding off the list -

3. Thierry Henry (v Man Utd - October 2000)

= Alan Shearer (v Everton - December 2002)

= Eric Cantona (v Sunderland - December 1996)

= David Beckham (v Wimbledon - August 1996)

Such is the nature of the Premier League, the next four greatest goals could not be separated.

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry's superb chip and volley over Fabian Barthez, Premier League top goalscorer Alan Shearer's thunderous volley versus Everton, Eric Cantona's iconic chip at Old Trafford against Sunderland and David Beckham's outrageous strike as a 21-year-old from inside his own half against Wimbledon were all voted third in the greatest goal survey of the Premier League era.

7. Tony Yeboah (Leeds v Wimbledon - September 1995)

8. Vincent Kompany (Man City v Leicester - May 2019)

9. Johan Elmander (Bolton v Wolves - November 2010)

= Jack Wilshere (Arsenal v Norwich - October 2013).

Please enjoy reading our other survey results, in collobartion with YouGov, looking at:

Top 10 Greatest Premier League Teams.

Top 5 Unluckiest Premier League Teams.

Top 10 Greatest Premier League Moments.

*All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1008 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 15th - 18th July 2022. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).*

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