Eight Years Ago Today, Tim Cahill Scored The Greatest Goal At 2014 World Cup

Tim Cahill scored the the best goal of the 2014 World Cup when he produced an outstanding volley to equalise for Australia against the Netherlands.

Arjen Robben might have opened the scoring in the 20th minute, but the former Everton star produced a moment of World Cup magic a minute later.

Ryan McGowan floated in a delightful ball to Cahill, who arrived in the box in time to smash home a thunderous volley past a helpless Jasper Cillessen.

Australia might have lost 3-2, but the 39-year-old made the moment even more complete when he ran down and boxed the corner flag for his celebration.

Timmy goes BANG 💥

🗓 #OnThisDay in Socceroos history, 2014, @Tim_Cahill scored one of the all-time great @FIFAWorldCup goals! #GiveIt100 #AllForTheSocceroos pic.twitter.com/B5PDccFa6g

— Socceroos (@Socceroos) June 18, 2022

And Cahill's outrageous volley even earned the highest of praises from Thierry Henry, who featured as a pundit for BBC during the World Cup coverage.

"In terms of beauty, the goal scored by Tim Cahill against the Dutch was the best so far," he said.

"But my kind of goal was the Chile team goal with all the interchange between the players."

The Arsenal legend wasn't alone in his praise and a number of sports stars, both past and present, showered Cahill with praise on social media.

Cahill's technique for the goal was exceptional. Never tried to smash it. Relaxed and let his technical skills guide the ball to the target.

— Joey Barton (@Joey7Barton) June 18, 2014

Wow! Tim Cahill has scored an absolute stonker!

— Gary Lineker 💙💛 (@GaryLineker) June 18, 2014

What a goal by @Tim_Cahill there! Didn't half catch that one well lad

— Ross Barkley (@RBarkley8) June 18, 2014

Cahill's technique for the goal was exceptional. Never tried to smash it. Relaxed and let his technical skills guide the ball to the target.

— Joey Barton (@Joey7Barton) June 18, 2014

Cahill's goal was eerily similar to the worldie three-time Ballon d'Or winner Marco van Basten scored in the 1988 Euros final against the USSR.

And the former Millwall man was more than happy to replicate the heroics against the Dutch, citing it as a career highlight.

“When you look at your idols like Marco van Basten and even Robin van Persie, they’re the sort of goals they score,” Cahill said after the game, as per Adelaide Now.

“You dream as a kid for these opportunities.

“At home in my garden I score like that everyday but this is what’s it’s all about.

“When the ball was flying over normally people expect me to jump and head that from 18 yards but it just sat so beautifully off the shoulder of the defender and I struck it and it went in."