World Cup wonder goals: Hagi catches out Colombia

We count down to the FIFA World Cup 2026™ by showing a breathtaking goal each day.

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We’re counting down to the FIFA World Cup 2026™ by showcasing a golazo from the global finals each day.


Gheorghe Hagi Gheorghe Hagi

Colombia v Romania USA 1994 | Group stage Rose Bowl, Pasadena

1994 World Cup Finals, Pasadena, USA, 18th June, 1994, Romania 3 v Colombia 1, The official scoreboard during the match, with a large section of the crowd in froont  (Photo by Bob Thomas Sports Photography via Getty Images)

Few would have had the audacity to attempt shooting from that position. Gheorghe Hagi was, however, god in Romanian sporting circles. He had a divine right to shoot for the stars. So, when Hagi received the adidas Questra, pinned to the left touchline, he took his habitual glance at the goalkeeper’s location, realised Oscar Cordoba was a few metres off his line, and instinctively let fly with a spectacular shot that dipped in under the crossbar. “We knew our opponents,” explained Hagi. “Bogdan Stelea, our goalkeeper, can tell you about that. What happened in the game against Colombia also happened to him two days before in training. “We knew the positioning of the goalkeeper, and we practised with Stelea coming out. I also scored from the halfway line for both Real Madrid and Barcelona, just to keep them both happy!”


Hagi and Co go Showtime in CaliforniaHagi and Co go Showtime in California