101 most memorable World Cup moments: Negrete’s sensational scissors kick

Pa Doug McIntyre
Posted by FOX Sports Soccer

Editor’s note: Every day from now until the start of the first match World Cup 2022 On November 20, we will open another memory from the history of the World Cup. The countdown to 101 continues with Manuel Negrete’s World Cup match against Bulgaria.

If we were making a list of the best World Cup goals, rather than the most memorable moments, Manuel Negrete’s impressive scissors kick against the hosts Mexico in 1986 would have been near the top.

With 114,580 in attendance at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, Negrete played a flowing pass with teammate Javier Aguirre in the 34th minute of El Tri’s last-16 tie against Bulgaria. Aguirre deflected Negrete’s pass onto himself with one touch, and without letting the ball rebound, Negrete darted sideways into the air and fired it past visiting keeper Boryslav Mihailov, still parallel to the ground.

Mexico went on to win 2-0 to advance to the quarterfinals for only the second time. El Tri has not returned since then, to the dismay of his fans. But Negrete’s unforgettable goal lives on, with FIFA announcing in 2018 that fans around the world voted it the greatest goal of the World Cup.

Scissors kick by Manuel Negrete

Mexico’s Manuel Negrete scored an incredible scissor kick against Bulgaria at the 1986 FIFA World Cup.

One of North America’s leading soccer journalists, Doug McIntyre has covered the United States men’s and women’s national teams at numerous FIFA World Cups. Before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he was a staff writer for ESPN and Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter @Written by Doug McIntyre.


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