Top five best bicycle kicks in ISL history

The list includes some of ISL’s greatest-ever goals.

Football has, over time, proven to be a game of great skill and composure and as far as aesthetic goals go, scoring with a bicycle kick is perhaps the greatest way one can net a goal. Indian Super League (ISL) has witnessed some outstanding goals.

There is no sight in football quite like seeing an overhead kick bulge in the back of the net. It takes a certain type of audacity for a player to even attempt a shot like that, never mind pulling it off, and when they do go in, even the opposition supporters have been known to applaud a moment of pure genius.

Also known as the overhead or the scissors kick, it usually sees a player strike the ball mid-air with his back turned towards the goal.

Suspending oneself in the air and connecting with the ball at an opportune time to strike it sweetly to the back of the net is an art, not many players can reproduce.

Over the years, the ISL has witnessed its fair share of magic when it comes to overhead kicks. So today, let’s rank the top five greatest bicycle kicks in ISL history. 

5. Amine Chermiti VS Northeast United FC

On the 27th of November 2019, NorthEast United and Mumbai City FC faced off in front of a packed Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, to witness a grand event take place between two of the league’s best sides. 

The game had a flying start, as Triadis hit a stunning goal to hand Northeast the lead in the opening minutes. Mumbai and Amine came back with answers soon and scored an equalizer just minutes later. 

Only 10 minutes after the equalizer, Chermiti produced something spectacular, as he perfectly stuck a diagonal ball into the box, scoring an incredible overhead kick, to give his side the lead. 

Stunned. Startled. Stupefied. 🚲This #WorldBicycleDay, enjoy these out-of-the-world bicycle-kick goals! ✨Watch the full video here: https://t.co/tEuaWqUZio#ISL #ISL10 #LetsFootball | @Sports18 pic.twitter.com/zO8p6WkUTp

— Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) June 3, 2024

4. Bernard Mendy VS Kerala Blasters

Bernard Mendy’s sensational overhead kick against Kerala is famously acclaimed as the first-ever bicycle kick in ISL history. It was an indirect free-kick taken by Elano that curled inside the box, while Harmanjot Singh Khabra headed it towards the edge of the six-yard box.

Mendy, sensing a chance immediately, swerved his body to take a brilliant bicycle kick which saw the veteran David James failing to react to the suddenness and perfect execution.

The goal made headlines across the nation, as this was the first time that the ISL had witnessed something of this sort.

3. Chencho Gyeltshen VS Northeast United FC

Bicycle kicks are always special, but what is even more special is scoring such a spectacle in the dying minutes of a game, to save the day for your team. This is exactly what Chencho did against Northeast United FC in the 2018-19 ISL season. 

Bengaluru FC were trailing heading into the 92nd minute of the game and were staring down the barrel of an excruciating defeat. The Blues were going all in to secure a victory. That’s when second-choice attacker Chencho stepped up for Bengaluru and scored a wonderful bicycle kick from a looping ball in the box. 

2. Javi Hernandez VS East Bengal FC

Javi Hernandez has always been a midfield maestro in the ISL. But his heroics last season against East Bengal somewhat escalated the player to a different dimension in the league. With the scores tied 1-1 going into the 72nd minute, both Bengaluru FC and East Bengal were striving for a much-needed victory. 

That’s when a bouncing ball met Javi in the penalty area, which he flicked quite expertly to a decent height, and then flipped his body like an acrobat to score a sensational bicycle kick to hand his team the victory. 

1. Daniel Chima Chukwu VS Hyderabad FC

Heading into their game against Hyderabad FC, Daniel Chima Chukwu was in some fine form, as he had a renewed confidence in front of the box, and was also getting the goals in. 

Two minutes into the game, the Nigerian gave his team the lead. Then just a few minutes later, he produced an extraordinary bicycle kick from the edge of the box, to send shockwaves across the stands. 

A looping header met Chukwu on the edge of the box, which he calmly received with his chest, and wasted no time in springing himself off the ground and putting the ball into the back of the net, giving the keeper no chance to react. 

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