As we eagerly await the return of world football, we’re taking this opportunity to look back on some of the most memorable goals ever scored. Going frame by frame, we’ll dissect how, exactly, these epic moments came to fruition.

Who, what, and when?

• Goalscorer: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
• Match: Juventus vs. Real Madrid
• Competition: Champions League (round of 16, first leg)
• Date: April 3, 2018

As the all-time leading scorer in Champions League history, Cristiano Ronaldo naturally has several doozies in his Rolodex to pick from. None, however, are more memorable than the instantly famous bicycle kick he delivered against his current side, Juventus, at the Allianz Stadium back in 2018.

In case you haven’t already seen it 1,000 times, here’s the goal:

Going frame by frame, it’s fascinating to see all the little machinations that came together to create this jaw-dropping moment.

Here’s how Ronaldo, who was in the midst of a red-hot run that saw him score 19 goals in just nine matches for Real Madrid, produced one of the most unforgettable tallies in Champions League history.

Chiellini and Buffon get flustered

The entire sequence looks innocuous enough to begin with. A long cross-field ball from Marcelo seeks out Ronaldo but doesn’t find its mark. As it skips off the wet surface and bounces toward the Juventus penalty area, veteran duo Giorgio Chiellini and Gianluigi Buffon appear to have everything under control.

At this point, Chiellini, who’s never been shy about launching a clearance into the stratosphere when under pressure, has two options. He can send the ball into orbit and allow his teammates to regain their defensive structure, or he can shield the ball from Ronaldo and allow his goalkeeper to collect it, ending the threat right there. Easy enough, right?

It should’ve been:

Instead, in a rare moment of panic, the defender gets squirrelly. Having played together for what feels like an eternity, you’d think the two grizzled Italians would handle situations like this in their sleep. But there’s a moment of hesitation, and Chiellini, in trying to make a last-second clearance, meekly pokes the ball into the corner, away from Buffon but not far enough to get out of play:

This is where everything falls apart for the vaunted Juventus backline, and where Ronaldo shows off his goalscoring instincts inside the penalty area.

Mad scramble

The Portuguese star doesn’t have the same raw pace that he once did – even going back a couple of years – but he tracks the ball down before it crosses the line. Buffon’s out of his goal, while Chiellini and defensive partner Andrea Barzagli are retreating frantically to cover the suddenly gaping net:

Ronaldo finds the onrushing Lucas Vazquez, whose left-footed effort is acrobatically palmed away by a leaping Buffon – not bad for someone who, at the time, was on the verge of his 40th birthday. Of course, that wasn’t the end of the danger.

It’s important to note Ronaldo’s positioning after he lays the ball back to Vazquez. In the furor of the play, Ronaldo, incredibly, gets lost by the Juventus defenders:

If there was one player you’d think you would always be aware of …

Losing your marker

After Buffon’s save, the ball rebounds to Dani Carvajal. By this point, Juventus have largely regained a solid defensive structure and, on the surface, appear to be in pretty good shape. I mean, they’ve got six defenders in the box, compared to just three Real Madrid attackers.

The issue, of course, is that both Barzagli and Mattia De Sciglio seem nonplussed by the fact that Ronaldo is hanging out in the penalty area, practically by himself. It’s wild when you say it out loud – this is one of the most prolific scorers of all time, after all – but when watching the sequence over and over again, that’s the most stunning takeaway. As was the case with Chiellini and Buffon earlier, the apparent lack of communication between Barzagli and De Sciglio is staggering:

Throughout the entire sequence, this is the only time Barzagli looks over his shoulder to check on Ronaldo’s position:

Seeing his Real Madrid counterpart behind him, he instantly starts backpedaling in an effort to get on the goal side of the attacker. Ronaldo, meanwhile, makes a break for the penalty area. Simultaneously, the two men spring in different directions:

A quick aside: Had Carvajal lofted the ball to the back post, this entire sequence of play – interesting as it was in showcasing how forwards try to exploit spaces inside the box – would have fizzled out and been lost to history. Instead, he delivered the ball right to the penalty spot. Prior to this memorable tally, Ronaldo had been trying to score this exact goal for years, with little success. There’s every reason to believe this had been choreographed in training many times.

Okay, back to the breakdown. De Sciglio, who had to keep one eye on Vazquez lurking near the top of the box, recognizes what’s about to happen with Ronaldo about a fraction too late. He makes a late effort to reach the ball first, but it’s in vain, and he gets posterized in the process.

More importantly, look where Barzagli and Ronaldo end up as the latter is just about to make contact with the cross. They’ve basically swapped positions:

Thanks for coming out, Mattia:

In the end, a series of unlikely defensive breakdowns create the opportunity, and Ronaldo takes full advantage.

The reaction shots

And now for the most amusing (and enjoyable) part of it all. There are three notable reactions in the following shot alone – from Barzagli, Buffon, and Isco, who saunters into the top of the frame:

The Juventus netminder is rooted to his spot. It’s part exasperation – his great save just seconds ago was all for naught – and part shock. Isco can’t believe what’s just happened, as evidenced by his hand-on-head response. But the Oscar goes to the bemused Barzagli, who simply throws up his arms and admits defeat:

What can you do in that situation? Nothing, except applaud a superhuman athletic feat, which is exactly what the Juventus supporters did en masse. Whether that ovation actually helped in Ronaldo’s decision to later join the Italian club, as he’s claimed, is up for debate, but it certainly didn’t hurt.

The final word here goes to Zinedine Zidane, the Real Madrid manager who knows a thing or two about crafting memorable Champions League moments. This is someone widely credited with delivering the most iconic goal in the history of the tournament, and even he was absolutely floored by Ronaldo’s bicycle kick.

That may be the most impressive thing about all of this.

With the soccer calendar on hold, theScore’s editors took the opportunity to go back in history. Gordon Brunt, Michael Chandler, Anthony Lopopolo, Gianluca Nesci, and Daniel Rouse participated in a standard fantasy mock draft with just one stipulation: active players can’t be selected. The term “legend,” like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

Other mock drafts: Current players | Young stars (April 27)

Round 1

Analysis: No surprises here. After Diego Maradona and Pele went first and second overall, respectively, there were myriad ways the rest of this could’ve unfolded, but it was virtually impossible to make a bad pick in the opening round with so many legendary players available.

Round 2

Analysis: The mind games began early. Brunt, knowing that Arsenal icon Thierry Henry was coveted by another participant, takes full advantage of the snake format and snaps him up. The Frenchman’s probably gone higher than he should have, but that’s the leap you have to make when dealing with back-to-back picks followed by lengthy waits.

Round 3

Analysis: The differing strategies are coming to light. Lopopolo’s gone all-in on firepower through the opening three rounds – that attacking trio is spectacular – while everyone else has selected at least one defender. There are a million different ways you could go here.

Round 4

Analysis: In one fell swoop, Brunt changes the dynamic of the draft and solidifies his full-back positions by taking Brazilian icons Roberto Carlos and Cafu with consecutive selections. In response, two more full-backs are taken in the round. Considering how thin, relatively speaking, the right- and left-back positions are compared to other areas on the field, it’s a solid approach.

Round 5

Analysis: In scooping up prolific German striker Gerd Muller, Rouse continues with his balanced approach. “Der Bomber” getting on the end of service from the likes of Johan Cruyff and Xavi is a tantalizing prospect. Elsewhere, Rivaldo’s selection ensures that Brazil continues to be well-represented. There’s a reason the Selecao have won more World Cups than anybody else.

Round 6

Analysis: Outside of Romario – another Brazilian, by the way – this round is all about the defenders. Ashley Cole may raise a few eyebrows at first glance, but for many years left-back was the position where clubs tried to hide their weakest link, which created a relative dearth of stars over time.

Round 7

Analysis: We’re at the point where everyone is starting to fill very specific needs. There are undoubtedly more talented players still available, but in the hopes of creating a lineup that could, in theory, actually function, positions like full-back and defensive midfield are addressed here by multiple participants.

Round 8

Analysis: Arjen Robben’s recent retirement puts him in contention, and this endeavor is better off because of it. Had the Dutch winger played in an era without Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, he’d be regarded as one of the greatest attackers ever. In Edgar Davids and Paul Scholes, meanwhile, we get a pair of combative legends who were feisty as they were talented.

Round 9

Analysis: Goalkeeper alert! Nesci gets the ball rolling between the sticks by grabbing Lev Yashin, widely regarded as the greatest netminder in the history of the sport; the “Black Spider” remains the only shot-stopper to ever win the Ballon d’Or, taking home the honor in 1963. The Russian is sandwiched by a pair of silky Brazilian midfielders.

Round 10

Analysis: Brunt grabbing Portuguese legend Eusebio in the 10th round represents the best value of the draft by some margin; the late Benfica star scored 473 goals in 440 competitive matches at the club. The prototypical modern striker, the Mozambique-born Eusebio won the Golden Boot in his only World Cup appearance in 1966. How was he still on the board?

Round 11

Analysis: Who the heck is William “Fatty” Foulke? Many tall tales have been told about the portly goalkeeper, who, despite weighing nearly 300 pounds by the end of his career in 1907, was known for being nimble and aggressive. We warned you off the top that “legend” is a subjective term, and Rouse certainly proves that with one of the final picks of the draft.

Bonus Round: Coaches

Analysis: Quite the collection of tacticians. A pair of Scottish titans, the Dutch mastermind credited with the invention of “Total Football,” a decorated Italian icon, and the innovative Hungarian who, in addition to boasting a remarkable life story, is responsible for one of the sport’s most legendary curses. If you’re not familiar with Bela Guttmann, you’re missing out.

Not Selected

Naturally, some of the greatest-ever players were going to miss out here. If we were to repeat this exercise, it’s entirely possible that some of those not selected would go in the opening few rounds. The likes of Ferenc Puskas, Marco van Basten, Raymond Kopa, George Best, Johan Neeskens, Jairzinho, Rivellino, and many, many more deserve a shoutout despite missing the cut.

Who was the most egregious snub? Have your say in the comments.

The Teams

Team Chandler

Guided by the pioneering, aggressive philosophy of Bela Guttmann on the touchline, it’s no surprise that this side is easily the most attacking of the bunch. Maradona and Platini in tandem behind Dennis Bergkamp is so exciting it’s almost absurd, while the wingers and full-backs will offer even more impetus going forward. Patrick Vieira will have to do the job of three people in midfield if Team Chandler loses the ball, but it’ll be so fun to watch.

Team Lopopolo

Pairing Pele with Alfredo Di Stefano up front should be illegal; we’re talking about two of the purest scoring threats the game has ever seen. And then you add the creativity of Roberto Baggio behind them. Spectacular stuff. There’s balance elsewhere in the squad, with a wonderful midfield blend of artful dribbling, drive, and suave playmaking ability. Great hair, too. Arrigo Sacchi dominated European football with his legendary AC Milan teams of the late 1980s. Imagine what he could accomplish with this XI.

Team Nesci

Sir Alex wouldn’t have to break out his infamous hairdryer treatment with this team. The Brazilian trio of Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and Garrincha makes you swoon. The latter pair would bamboozle defenders with their brilliant dribbling skills, teeing up “O Fenomeno,” who, at his peak, was literally unstoppable. Edgar Davids and Lothar Matthaus offer bite and balance in midfield, while the left-footed pair of Paolo Maldini and legendary Argentina captain Daniel Passarella form a classy, formidable duo at the heart of the backline.

Team Rouse

It’s only right that the squad featuring Cruyff is overseen by Rinus Michels. The revolutionary Dutchmen are the perfect headliners for a fluid team that would move freely and swiftly across the pitch. There’s a wonderful Brazilian connection on the right side – Carlos Alberto would have plenty of chances to replicate his epic goal from the 1970 World Cup final – while Franz Beckenbauer would be encouraged to gallop confidently out of the back with the ball at his feet, doing stepovers all the while.

Team Brunt

Jock Stein dominated Scottish football with Celtic, winning nine successive league titles from 1966-1974. He could dominate world football with this XI. Given the nature of this exercise, inevitably every team would be loaded up front. And yet, even in that context, there’s something particularly special about the five players lining up in attacking positions for Team Brunt. My word, what a quintet. And that’s to say nothing of the explosive Brazilian full-back duo on offer. Goals galore. You’d need a superhuman to cover for them defensively, which is exactly what Claude Makelele was in his prime.

Have Your Say

Vote for your favorite team below, and sound off in the comments!

Twenty years ago, the New England Patriots drafted quarterback Tom Brady in the sixth round with the 199th overall selection. Brady has an NFL-record six Super Bowl rings, one for every quarterback drafted ahead of him in 2000.

The last quarterback drafted in 2000 was Joe Hamilton — the Georgia Tech product was picked 234th overall by the Buccaneers. Hamilton was runner-up in the 1999 Heisman voting behind Ron Dayne, but his NFL career consisted of no passing attempts and one rushing attempt for minus-2 yards. In other words, Tampa Bay was 20 years too late on Brady.

The only starting quarterback besides Brady to win an AFC East title since 2001 is Chad Pennington — in 2002 with the New York Jets and 2008 with the Miami Dolphins.

Here are some of the worst draft moves this century:

2000: Thirty teams pass on Tom Brady

Hear that? Yup, that’s the collective groan of the 30 teams that passed on Brady. The Texans are the only team grinning — they came into the league in 2002. It must be especially frustrating for the Jets, 49ers, Ravens, Steelers, Saints and Browns, who all took quarterbacks ahead of Brady in 2000.

2003: Pistons draft Darko Milicic over