Mert Gunok's save is technically a lesser save than Gordon Banks' but carries more significance.
Turks have brought so much to Euro 2024.
John Barnes never felt his mazy Maracana dribble 40 years ago was a “great goal” because it was only a friendly, however vaunted the setting. If it had been a competitive game, a knockout tie at a World Cup, the English winger argued that a Brazilian would have brought him down the moment he built up any threatening speed.
Diego Maradona’s second goal against England at the Azteca in 1986 is the epitome of a truly great goal. It carried immense significance as it proved the winner that took Argentina through to the World Cup semi-finals. It carried even more emotional weight back home because of the continued fall-out from the Falklands War. And Maradona’s dribble was an utterly, ridiculously brilliant goal, adding to its greatness.
Jude Bellingham’s 95th-minute overhead kick easily passes the “greatness” test because of its majesty, its timing in a game and also its magnitude. It kept England in the European Championship and kept Gareth Southgate in a job.
Mert Gunok’s remarkable save to deny Austria’s Christoph Baumgartner a 94th-minute equaliser in Leipzig comfortably qualifies for “greatness” status. Technically brilliant, hugely significant and crushing for the Austrians. I’ve not seen a Baumgartner brought down to earth so dramatically since Felix, the successful skydiver, in 2012. Christoph Baumgartner was only five yards out and did everything right, heading down and across Gunok, who was on his line and initially going to his left.