World Cup wonder goals: Pombo gets Tite pigeon dancing
We count down to the FIFA World Cup 2026™ by showing a breathtaking goal each day.
We’re counting down to the FIFA World Cup 2026™ by showcasing a golazo from the global finals each day.
Brazil v Korea Republic Qatar 2022 | Last 16 Stadium 974, Doha Pigeons, given their diet of dry seeds, are among the thirstiest of birds. One of them, whose go-to food is beef, beans, rice and a fried egg, was thirsty under the Qatari heat in late 2022. Richarlison was nevertheless gasping for goals – those of the wonder form.
‘Pombo’ acrobatically dispatched what would prove The Goal of the Tournament in Brazil’s opener against Serbia, duly celebrating it with his patented ‘Pigeon Dance’, but it didn’t quench his thirst for golazos. The 25-year-old registered another against Korea Republic in the last 16 – with some unlikely aid from two centre-backs. Richarlison began the move by winning a loose adidas Al Rihla, doing eye-catching keepy-uppies to retain it, and then finding Marquinhos. The latter controlled it and passed to Thiago Silva, whose intuitive first-time ball enabled Richarlison to take a touch and find the bottom corner. It was such a work of art that even 61-year-old Brazil coach Tite celebrated by doing the ‘Pigeon Dance’ with his No9.