Saeed Al-Owairan vs Belgium — 1994

Saeed Al-Owairan's 70-meter solo sprint against Belgium at the 1994 World Cup is the most daring individual goal in the tournament's history. Starting inside his own half, he dribbled past five Belgian outfield players at full speed before slotting a composed finish past Michel Preud'homme. This feat earned the FIFA Best Goal of the Tournament award and drew inevitable comparisons to Diego Maradona's 1986 masterpiece, though Al-Owairan's run was longer by 10 meters. Remarkably, despite this world-class display, he never played in Europe, making it one of football's poignant what-ifs. Saudi Arabia won 1–0, securing their only knockout-stage victory.