There's something magical about those seconds before the FA Cup final kicks off. Trumpets and tin-foil trophies, players as tense as the travelling fans, gaffers pacing the dugout in full club suits. The anticipation of a new hero emerging.
Some goals, though, are written in FA Cup folklore, rolled out for every cup final montage—they're the belters, the moments of individual magic, the strikes that sealed shock wins. These are the moments that define careers and sell jerseys. I've chosen 10 that make an all-time list, and here's a sneak peek at one of them.
At number one on my list is the beauty and pure adrenaline-fuelled emotion of Ricky Villa. A man devastated to have been taken off a few days earlier as Spurs and Manchester City drew 1-1 at Wembley, Villa turned heartbreak into history. With the game tied 2-2 and just 14 minutes remaining, having already netted earlier, he set off on his famous dribble. Shorts clinging to his upper quads, hair billowing in the Thursday evening Wembley breeze, Chas & Dave ringing in his ears—he skipped through light blue shirts under a floodlit glare and slotted the ball between hapless Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Corrigan's legs.
"I remember getting the ball and my first instinct was to attack," Villa told BBC Radio 5 Live. "As soon as I ran towards the goal I forgot about everyone around me. I lost control of the ball just a little before the goal but I shot and I was lucky before I scored. Sometimes you need a little luck and this is what happened. It changed my life in the English league."
That moment of magic is why we love the FA Cup—and why every fan dreams of wearing their club's colours on Wembley's hallowed turf. Whether you're reliving the glory or gearing up for the next final, the right kit can make you feel part of the action.
