First time strikes: Football’s equivalent of a golfing hole-in-one

We all love a first time strike.

Is there anything better than seeing the net bulge after a flowing move capped off by a cheeky flick at goal, or a rifling volley from distance? There’s just something so satisfying about goals that roll onto the foot and then smash off it instantly and into the goal.

Golf has its own equivalent: the hole-in-one. Great drives launched down the fairway, or beautiful iron shots hitting the middle of the green are all well and good, but nothing beats a ball settling into the hole from a great distance.

Football meets golf next month at the Belfry, as an England football legends team, captained by Lee Westwood, takes on a Rest of the World side including Andriy Shevchenko and Pep Guardiola, and captained by Darren Clarke, in the Ryder Cup-style ICONS of Football event from 23-25 June.

In the meantime, here’s some first time crackers from the footballing world to get you in the mood!

Robin Van Persie v Charlton

After Arsenal’s Invincible season in 2003/04, the end of an era started to loom. And when the Gunners were beaten by Barcelona in the 2006 Champions League final, and Dennis Bergkamp retired, it fell to Robin van Persie to pick up the baton.

The Dutch national team’s all-time record scorer struggled with injury for much of the early part of his career, but once settled into a rhythm at the Emirates Stadium, he became the club’s talisman before moving to Manchester United in 2012.

This strike against Charlton really announced his arrival, and signalled to Arsene Wenger that he had a ready-made replacement for the retired Bergkamp in his squad already.

Kevin De Bruyne v West Brom

This is about as recent as it gets, but it’s still a beautiful finish to rank up there with the older beauties.

As Pep Guardiola ends his first season in charge of Manchester City, it’s clear that his team can be sumptuous in attack, and this is a goal which shows it.

Gianfranco Zola v NorwichCity

No matter how many Premier League seasons pass, this flick by Gianfranco Zola will remain one of the best ever scored in this country. What is always missed about this goal, though, is how the Italian turns a dreadful corner into one of the best goals ever scored, a flick of beauty before the ball even touches the ground. Masterful.

Sergio Aguero v Norwich City

Manchester City were playing to keep the pressure on. After a long-term absence caused by stubbornness and idiocy, Carlos Tevez returned to the fold to challenge Manchester United, and it seemed like a 6-1 win over Norwich still wouldn’t be enough to overcome their neighbours and win their first Premier League title - but an even more iconic goal scored just a few weeks later changed everything.

Luis Suarez v Norwich City

There does appear to be a trend emerging with these first time strikes: Norwich seem to be on the receiving end of a disproportionate number!

And this, from Luis Suarez, was part of a wider obliteration of the Canaries by the Uruguayan. He is frighteningly good.

Lionel Messi’s first ever goal

Start as you mean to on.

Lionel Messi didn’t grow into life as the best striker in the world, he always was, we just realised it one day….

From Ronaldinho’s lobbed pass, Messi just dinks it over the keeper to score his very first goal for Barcelona. Normally you’d say ‘just retire, it’ll never get any better than that!’ But it did.

Jack Wilshere v Norwich City

Sorry Norwich fans… you again.

This time, it’s Jack Wilshere on the end of an intricate Arsenal move which provided that rare thing: a genuine team goal voted goal of the season. It’s not just about the finish, but the finish does make it: it may as well be just another first-time pass.

Steven Gerrard v West Ham

This strike, taken completely without context, could still be regarded as a special goal - possibly one of the best strikes ever. But in context - the last minute of extra time in an FA Cup final which was about to go to penalties - it is just a feat of rare brilliance, from a man who made a habit of single-handedly dragging his team to massive victories.

Zinedine Zidane v Leverkusen

No list of first-time strikes would be complete without Zinedine Zidane’s famous Champions League-winning goal at Hampden Park against Bayer Leverkusen. In fact, no list of goals would be complete without it, really.

The Real Madrid manager will be hoping his side can replicate his moment in Cardiff in a few weeks as the Spanish giants take on Juventus in the Champions League final.

Paul Scholes v Villa

What a way to finish this first-time-strike-retrospective than with a player who will be taking centre stage during ICONS of Football in June. Paul Scholes scored a volley directly from a corner passed straight to him against Bradford in 1999. That was special - and the fact that United even had the audacity to do it was stunning - but this strike is the one which will be remembered the most. It was an instinctive strike hit with power, venom and flawless technique - and don’t forget the added street cred required for volleys that go in off the bar.

Bonus Norwich City strike

Norwich may have provided the backdrop for almost half of these wonder strikes, so it’s only fair Norwich gets the final say. After all, it’s the least we can do for the Canaries fans who have made it this far!

Hopefully these hits will inspire the ICONS during their epic competition this summer. As an added incentive - for them and anyone who is attending the event - the last day of the tournament will see the £1 million Swing. This will see all 24 ICONS and their captains get one attempt to make a hole-in-one on the infamous 18th hole. Whoever does will win a charitable donation to a charity of their choosing. If that was not enough, there is a large cash prize for whoever guesses which ICON hits the target.