24 Years Ago Today Roberto Carlos Scored An 'Impossible' Byline Volley, It Still Needs Explaining

When you think of Roberto Carlos, automatically your mind goes to THAT insane free-kick against France in 1997 but he scored another gem of a goal the following year.

The Brazilian left-back conjured up a similarly impossible goal from a ridiculous angle for Real Madrid against Tenerife on 21 February 1998.

Carlos was played in behind down the left flank and the ball looked to be heading out for a goal-kick.

But on the half volley, he managed to produce an utterly outrageous strike that caught the goalkeeper completely off-guard - the ball swerving into the far top corner as the man in between the sticks desperately scrambled to claw it away.

It’s been 24 years since Roberto Carlos bombed down the line vs Tenerife... and did this.

Steady on, Bob. You’ve got no fucking business scoring from there.

pic.twitter.com/xJb0PQykgC

— A Funny Old Game (@sid_lambert) February 21, 2022

"I never get tired of it," Roberto Carlos once said of his goal against Tenerife in 1998.

"It’s actually quite fun because, even now, it’s a goal that no one understands. I don’t understand it myself, so how is anyone else going to understand it?"pic.twitter.com/p4bfUUyl0g

— MUNDIAL (@MundialMag) January 12, 2022

Carlos was bombarded by his teammates and even he looked in disbelief over the goal he had just scored.

Of course, there have inevitably been question marks over whether he was actually attempting a cross but we're happy to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Years later, in 2017, the goal was perfectly recreated by Abdullah Balikuv in a Turkish cup tie against Sivasspor.

Like Carlos, Balikuv was fed down the left and kept the ball in play. He didn't have many options on but didn't need them in the slightest as he rifled in a thunderous strike that flies past the goalkeeper - with the ball nestling into the top bins in the same manner as Carlos' worldie did.

The similarities between the two goals are remarkable.

Carlos actually rates his Tenerife strike higher than the time he defied physics vs France, telling GQ: "I really like the goal that I scored against Tenerife – that was a more difficult goal. I pretty much scored the goal from the byline, close to the corner flag.”

The former Inter Milan defender will soon be returning to the pitch but in an unfamiliar environment.

Carlos is to turn out for Sunday League side Bull In The Barne United in Shrewsbury after they won eBay's "dream transfer raffle" to secure the World Cup winner's services for a one-off game.