Watch: Jermain Defoe scores van Basten-esque golazo for Bournemouth
Jermain Defoe is not a particularly effective Premier League player anymore. But man, he can still strike a ball well. As well as the best strikers in the world. As well as – as we found out on Saturday – Dutch legend Marco van Basten.
Check out Defoe’s golazo for Bournemouth against Crystal Palace (video above). Then watch van Basten’s famous goal for the Netherlands in the Euro 1988 final:
Defoe’s goal is on the half-volley, which lowers the degree of difficulty slightly. But the angle and ball-placement are very similar. And whereas the ball comes to van Basten over his inside shoulder, it comes to Defoe over his outside shoulder.
This picture of the ball mid-flight, captured by Getty Images, is incredible too:
Defoe also scored Bournemouth’s first goal in a wild first half at Selhurst Park that ended 2-2. The first was aided by a sneaky set-piece routine, but also a blatantly illegal pick from Joshua King.