A bicycle kick, also known as the overhead kick or “la Chilena,” is an audacious strike that personifies both the artistry and audacity of football.
This acrobatic feat in the air turns a ball behind the player into a strike to remember. Rare, it’s often unforgettable.
It takes perfect timing, remarkable technique, and a dose of self-belief to attempt, much less execute, particularly under competitive pressures.
Here are 10 players who not only dared to dream of scoring with their backs to goal but turned the outrageous into the routine.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
CR7 is known for gravity-defying feats, and his bicycle kick against Juventus in the 2018 Champions League quarterfinals was no exception.
The leap alone was estimated at 2.38 meters, enough to leave the football world in awe.
He managed to contort his body in mid-air and struck with full force, where even Gianluigi Buffon stood a slim chance of saving it.
That goal drew a standing ovation from Juventus fans, some respect rarely given by opposing fans.
The brilliance of Ronaldo in this regard doesn’t end here. According to Bicycle Potential, the Portuguese legend has scored more than 25 bicycle kicks throughout his professional career, an astonishing statistic ranking him first among others.
2. Zlatan Ibrahimović
When it comes to audacious goals, Ibrahimović knows how to create them.
A player who melds incredible physicality with mind-bending skill, his crowning moment came in 2012 when he scored a jaw-dropping bicycle kick against England.
That this goal was executed from outside the penalty area propelled it into the pantheon of football’s greatest strikes.
With his back to goal and the ball falling from the heavens, he launched himself into the air and struck it with venom. It flew past Joe Hart and left the world questioning the limits of human capability.
While this Puskás Award-winning goal is his most famous, he has repeated the feat many times, cementing his goals as one of the best bicycle kick in football.
3. Hugo Sánchez
This Mexican legend added oomph and glamour to football; his bicycle kicks became the talking point in town.
Trained for gymnastics from an early age, Sánchez showed how gyms could easily translate their athleticism onto the football pitch.
For him, bicycle kicks were not a move but a signature.
When he was at Real Madrid, he was astonishing fans with acrobatic finishes that looked almost rehearsed.
His perfection of the overhead kick set a precedent to young generations that it is worth combining athletic training with acrobatic skills in football.
4. Pelé
When talking about one of the greatest footballers in the world, the name of Pelé would always be in the first 3, and his forays into bicycle kicks are no exception.
Though the Brazilian legend admitted in his autobiography that only “three or four” of his 1,283 career goals were bicycle kicks, that’s still a number most players can only dream of.
Pelé’s overhead kicks were less about brute force and more about positioning and precision.
While we may only have a handful of recorded moments showcasing this skill, they are enough to assert his place as one of the early pioneers of the bicycle kick.
5. Carlo Parola
Parola’s name might not ring as many bells today, but his legacy as “Signor Rovesciata” (“Mr. Overhead Kick”) deserves recognition.
His acrobatic efforts in the 1940s were so iconic that Panini immortalized his likeness on their sticker album logo for more than three decades.
While Chileans might say that Ramón Unzaga actually invented the bicycle kick, according to the Italians, Parola popularized the move in Europe. His elegance and consistency in pulling off these goals made him a trailblazer.
6. Gareth Bale
Bale’s iconic bicycle kick in the 2018 Champions League final against Liverpool is a goal for the ages, and when you see the highlight, you ask yourself, “How did he do that?”.
With the score tied and the pressure mounting, Bale produced a moment of sheer magic, meeting Marcelo’s cross with an overhead kick so perfect it looked like something out of a footballing fairytale.
And it flew into the net, leaving Loris Karius and all of Liverpool’s defence in shock.
That wasn’t just a goal but a moment that defined football history. Bale has another beauty in his portfolio, a sublime strike against Villarreal. However, you cannot liken such to the audacious strike that night in Kyiv.
7. Wayne Rooney
Rooney’s name is stamped in Premier League history, not least because of that bicycle kick against Manchester City in 2011, but because of what is at stake.
With the Manchester derby poised on a knife’s edge, Rooney connected with Nani’s deflected cross to deliver a thunderous overhead kick that soared into the top corner.
It was not merely a goal of technical brilliance but a moment that defined one of football’s fiercest rivalries.
While Rooney didn’t score many bicycle kicks throughout his career, this alone justifies placing him on the list.
8. Diego Maradona
Maradona-known for his mesmerizing dribbles and otherworldly vision-isn’t exactly your stereotypical bicycle kick specialist.
His agility and low centre of gravity allowed him to pull off acrobatic finishes in tight spaces.
One such moment was his breathtaking assist for Napoli against Bari in the 1989/90 season, a rare instance of an overhead kick being used as a setup.
Though not prolific in this area, his contributions to the art form were unique, adding a layer of creativity and finesse that matched his enigmatic playing style.
9. Peter Crouch
Crouch’s gangly physique may not exactly have shrieked “acrobatic finisher,” but the former England striker consistently made a liar of such preconceived ideas.
His most memorable bicycle kick came against Galatasaray in the Champions League, a goal that proved his ability to use his towering height to devastating effect.
Crouch credited his love for the bicycle kick to childhood training sessions inspired by Gianluca Vialli.
Was it that goal against Bolton or his efforts in the Champions League, Crouch proved that style and flair know no height restrictions.
10. Ramón Unzaga
We conclude with the father of the bicycle kick: Ramón Unzaga. While playing for Chilean club Chorera in 1914, Unzaga managed to shock onlookers with what would later be known as the “Chilena.”
It soon became a trademark of South American football and got its name from the repeated use by Unzaga in Copa América games.
While the bicycle kick is now a global commodity, it all started with this Chilean pioneer who decided to try the impossible.
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