William Gallas has told FourFourTwo that ‘the best goal of his career’ against Spurs in 2006 almost didn’t happen because he forgot the game was a lunchtime kick-off.
Jose Mourinho’s men were on course to secure successive Premier League titles, but looked set to drop two points against their rivals with seven games to go.
But as the clock hit 90, the Blues’ French left-back cut inside before smashing a 20-yarder past goalkeeper Paul Robinson, sparking joyous scenes at Stamford Bridge.
It proved to be one of a dozen Premier League goals the defender scored for Chelsea, before he netted a further 12 league goals for Arsenal and one for Spurs over a 12-year career in the English capital. But Gallas says none of them compare to his golazo against Tottenham – especially as he'd barely slept the night before.
Speaking exclusively in the September 2017 issue of FourFourTwo magazine, he says: “That is definitely the best goal of my career. How could I score better than that? Even my son still shows me that goal. ‘Do you realise what you did?’ he asks me. ‘Yes son I know,’ I’ll reply. He is still proud to watch that video.
That is definitely the best goal of my career. How could I score better than that? Even my son still shows me that goal. ‘Do you realise what you did?’ he asks me
“Something people won’t know is that the night before that game, I got maybe two or three hours sleep. I forgot the game was a lunchtime kick-off so I went to bed late. When they phoned me the next morning I said, ‘I’m f**ked, I can't play!’ My mind was tired. When I was on the pitch I didn’t think too much. Maybe that’s why I scored that goal!"
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Gregg Davies is the Chief Sub Editor of FourFourTwo magazine, joining the team in January 2008 and spending seven years working on the website. He supports non-league behemoths Hereford and commentates on Bulls matches for Radio Hereford FC. His passions include chocolate hobnobs and attempting to shoehorn Ronnie Radford into any office conversation.
