Big Ones

A friend of ours on Facebook messaged us to say he liked big nets. (He also likes these peculiarities at Ipswich Town circa 1995, but that's for another post.) In goalnets, since the height and width of the goal is fixed, the X-factor in big-ness is the depth of the nets; how far they're extended behind the goal-line. We thought we'd compile a by-no-means-exhaustive top-5 of big nets.

#5 - Mexico '86

If you were to consider that the impact of ball on net, and the aftershock on ball and net, is what makes for a truly memorable goal, you easily reach the conclusion that the recent World Cup was so drab because the goalnets were made of trampoline and the theatre of ball hitting net was akin to kicking a ball against a brick wall. Not so, Mexico '86...



#4 - New Wembley

Where the old goalnets were classic and sublime, these are ridiculous and crass and seem to scream, "Look where the billion pounds went."



#3 - FC Porto

You got a big stadium? Get yourself some big nets.



#2 - Old Hampden

The Godzilla of goalnets.



#1 - Barcelona, late 80's

Long before tiki-taka, Barcelona's claim to fame was having the world's biggest goalnets.



Which are your favourite Big Ones?

World Cup 2010 - such a shame

South Africa beat Colombia at Soccer City and we got first look at what the World Cup goalnets will look like -


World Cups used to be about innovation, in tactics, strips and goalnets. Even the free-hanging boxnet was an innovation in its day. But that was 36 years ago. One can only mourn South Africa's spurning the opportunity to set a new trend in on-field architecture, such a shame.