Audere est Facere - our most audacious goals!

Tanguy Ndombele rounded off our victory against Sheffield United on Sunday afternoon in the boldest of fashions.

Without even looking at the goal as he latched onto a searching pass from Steven Bergwijn, Tanguy hooked the ball up from the angle, lofting it majestically over Blades goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale and in off the upright.

It was an audacious attempt which took such talent and gall to pull off, yet those are characteristics which is rooted in our DNA. Our Club motto is ‘Audere est Facere’ and it is from the Latin 'Audere' that the word audacity derives, meaning a daring nature is firmly embedded into our foundations.

And Tanguy’s ambitious strike at Bramall Lane was just another astonishing finish in a long list of awe-inspiring strikes that we have seen in our colours down the years. Here’s a look back at some of the best...

Glenn Hoddle v Watford – September, 1983

One of the greatest players in not just our history, but the history of the English game, Glenn Hoddle was a natural talent, gifted, creative and with bags of flair – all of which he showed in a goal in a 3-2 win over Watford at the start of the 1983/84 season. Coming away at Vicarage Road, Hoddle was being intimately marked in the box by Jan Lohman yet, as the ball was rolled in to him by Garry Brooke, he instinctively used his heel to flick it behind him with such speed and finesse that it sent Lohman stumbling in the opposite direction. Then, almost in slow motion, without looking at the goal, without even taking one look at where goalkeeper Steve Sherwood was standing, Hoddle didn’t even take another touch before chipping the ball up, high over the keeper and into the net.

Stephen Carr v Sunderland – May, 2000

This might not be the first goal that comes to the minds of Spurs fans when they think of Stephen Carr, with the defender having rifled home from 20 yards out against Manchester United in a 3-1 win in October, 1999, but his strike against Sunderland just six months later showed the craft and guile of a true artist with the ball. Coming on the final day of the season as we defeated the European football-chasing Mackems 3-1 at White Hart Lane, Carr’s strike was the final goal of the day but it was of course a case of saving the best until last. Having picked up the ball in his own half, the Irish international burst down the right flank and carried it all the way into the box. Once there, he looked up, spotted goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen off his line before, like Hoddle, clipping the ball high over the scrambling keeper and into the corner of the net.

Robbie Keane v Blackburn – March, 2006

Robbie Keane’s movement and clinical finishing saw him become one of our greatest goalscorers of the modern era, however, he also had the skill to create a goal out of nothing - he did exactly that as we defeated Blackburn Rovers 3-2 at the Lane in March 2006. Receiving the ball from a quick Mido throw in just outside the box on the right, he took just three touches to beat two defenders and the goalkeeper before finding the back of the net. Incredibly flicking the ball first over Robbie Savage on the turn, he progressed into the box and lifted it calmly away from Andy Todd before steering under the onrushing Brad Friedel.

David Bentley v Arsenal – October, 2008

In one of the true classic north London derby encounters between us and Arsenal, David Bentley produced one of the fixture's most astonishing goals. Opening the scoring in the 4-4 draw in October, 2008, on 13 minutes, in a pattern of play that looked far more reminiscent of a move from sepak takraw - the south east Asian sport of kick volleyball - Luka Modric retrieved the ball and hooked it behind him, Jermaine Jenas then chested it to Bentley who took just one touch to tee it up before speculatively volleying it towards goal from all of 40 yards out. With Gunners goalkeeper Manuel Almunia just off his line, the ball swirled through the air as it whizzed over his flailing arms and rippled the back of the net to send the away end into delirium.

Gareth Bale v Stoke City – August, 2010

As Gareth Bale began to come into his own at the start of a monumental season for the Welshman, he immediately showed just what magic he could conjure up with his wand of a left boot. Coming away at Stoke where we had previously never won in the Premier League, Gareth had us ahead just 18 minutes in with a header before Ricardo Fuller levelled for the hosts seven minutes later. Yet, just after the half-hour mark, the Welsh international then had his second as he volleyed home the game's winner in spectacular style.

Having to readjust his run at the last moment as he made a late move into the box to get on the end of an Aaron Lennon cross, Gareth intuitively allowed the lofted ball to go across his body before he wound up his left leg. Stretching it out as far as it would go to his left as he leant his torso in the opposite direction, he then wrapped his laces around the ball to strike it with such a pure connection that it sliced through the air like a missile towards the goal. The speed and zip of the finish left goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen with no chance of getting anywhere near it as it arrowed into the top right-hand corner of the net. 

Erik Lamela vs Asteras Tripolis – October, 2014

A truly outrageous finish from Erik Lamela helped us to a 5-1 Europa League victory over Asteras Tripolis in October, 2014. On an action-packed European night at White Hart Lane, which also saw Harry Kane score his first career hat-trick as well as the striker testing himself between the sticks late on after Hugo Lloris had been shown a red card, Erik not only produced but scored with a ‘rabona’.

Literally meaning to skip school in Spanish, the rabona is a move which sees a player wrap one leg behind the other in order to strike the ball with their dominant foot. As Coco attempted it at the Lane, it looked far easier for him to curl the ball home from the edge of the box with his right foot, but he instead opted for his left and somehow generated enough power in such an unorthodox action to stun the ball into the roof of the net and leave his team-mates standing idle, with their hands on their heads, in utter disbelief.

Heung-Min Son vs Watford – December, 2015

The second in our list of audacious finishes to come at Watford’s Hertfordshire home, Heung-Min Son provided late drama at Vicarage Road with a cheeky winner in December, 2015. With the scores level and just a minute remaining after Erik Lamela’s opener had been cancelled out by Odion Ighalo, Sonny came up with a sumptuous 89^th-minute decider. Having been beaten to the first cross by former Spurs goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes, the South Korean made sure he got the all-important first touch when Kieran Trippier redelivered from the right and what a touch it was! Flicking the ball with the back of his right heel it bounced through Gomes’ legs and into the corner of the net to seal a late 2-1 triumph right in front of a packed away end.

Dele vs Crystal Palace – January, 2016

There are several Dele finishes which could have easily made it into this list with the midfielder having produced a catalogue of audacious finishes – but perhaps there's none more astonishing than his goal against Crystal Palace in January, 2016. With the scores level at 1-1 and just six minutes remaining at Selhurst Park, the then 19-year-old received the ball from Christian Eriksen's cushioned header around 20 yards out and with his back to the target. There looked to be nothing on for the teenager but within a matter of seconds and with just three impeccable touches of the ball, the talented forward had the net rippling. Taking one touch with the inside of his right boot to keep the ball alive, he then, in one swift movement, flicked it over his head with his right toe before quickly turning and volleying it home with his laces to score one of the greatest goals the Premier League has ever seen. With the game in our favour, Nacer Chadli then wrapped up the win with another impressive strike in injury time.

Harry Kane vs Juventus – July, 2019

It may not have come in a competitive game but Harry Kane still defied belief as he found the target from the half-way line in our International Champions Cup clash with Juventus in July, 2019. As the clock ticked into the third minute of injury time and the scoreline remained level at 2-2 in what had been a well-matched battle between the sides, Harry decided to attempt the unthinkable in Singapore as he went for goal from around 50 yards out. He didn’t take a touch; he didn't even look before trying it – being the striker he is, he already knew where the goal was and suspected goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny might have been off his line. Our number 10 instead just put his clinical right boot through the ball and watched as it sailed over the scrambling Szczęsny and in for an extraordinary winner.

Tanguy Ndombele vs Sheffield United – January, 2021

It may have been a difficult first year for Tanguy Ndombele in north London but this season, he is beginning to show his true potential on the pitch – something he certainly demonstrated with his audacious effort against Sheffield United on Sunday. Heading away from goal as he received a lofted ball back from Steven Bergwijn, to the rest of the world, there looked little on for the Frenchman as he was harassed by two Blades defenders in the box. Yet, in that moment, the talented midfielder had imagined the impossible. Without taking a touch and without even looking at the goal, the 24-year-old hooked the ball over his head, lofting it beyond United's captain John Egan, as well as their goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, and into the net off the far upright to seal us all three points at Bramall Lane in incredible style.

Join us on Twitch and pick your favourite!

Now you've reminded yourself of some of our most audacious goals, come and join us on Twitch at 6pm GMT today (Wednesday 20 January) where host Rebekah Walker and Club Journalist Paul Miles will be talking through each strike and giving you the chance to select your favourite!