Was Tottenham star Micky van de Ven’s goal against Copenhagen one of the best in football history?
Tottenham cruised to a dominant 4-0 win against Copenhagen in the Champions League. The Lilywhites got back into the win column after their disappointing performance against Chelsea on the weekend. Brennan Johnson, Wilson Odobert, and Joao Palhinha got on the scoresheet for Spurs, but their spotlight was stolen by Micky van de Ven’s stunning solo goal at the 64th-minute mark.
The Dutch defender is known for his quickness, defensive intelligence, and attacking threat. The 24-year-old is has now scored 6 goals in all competitions and is Tottenham’s leading goalscorer, a shocking stat for a centre back. Football fans were in awe of the wonder goal he scored on the night to put Spurs 3-0 up.
After receiving the ball at the edge of the Spurs box, van de Ven showed great commitment and skill by dribbling his way through the entire Copenhagen team and unleashing a powerful shot into the bottom-left corner of the goal and beyond the goalkeeper. Some fans and football experts are stating that the goal is undoubtedly worthy of a Puskas award.
The defender joined Spurs from Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg in 2023 for a fee of £43m. Over the years, he has cemented his spot in the heart of Tottenham’s defense and has proved himself as one of the best center backs in the league.
Van de Ven’s solo goal amongst club’s best ever?
Van de Ven’s 90-meter solo goal against the Danish outfit has drawn instant comparison with club legend Son Heung-min’s 2019 Puskas-winning solo goal against Burnley, where the South Korean started his run from his own half and dribbled past the whole Burley team before slotting the ball into the net.
Another player who was known for scoring goals in a similar fashion was Gareth Bale. Bale’s November 2010 goal against Inter Milan in the Champions League is another benchmark in Spurs’ folklore for similar reasons, starting runs from near the defensive zone, outpacing opponents, and clinical finishing.
The strike against Copenhagen came from a defender, making it all the more special. Rarely do we see defenders score such spectacular goals, reminiscent of Vincent Kompany’s thunderbolt against Leicester City that sealed the Premier League title, or Philippe Albert’s exquisite chip for Newcastle against Manchester United.
In football’s broader context, Van de Ven’s goal will be remembered alongside similarly spectacular strikes by defenders like Real Madrid’s Roberto Carlos and Liverpool’s John Arne Riise, who combined the ability to defend but also launch powerful attacks and score from distance or solo runs.