What is an Olimpico (Explained)

Tottenham Hotspur progressed through to the Carabao Cup semi-finals, beating Manchester United 4-3. Spurs’ fourth goal saw star man Son Heung-min, score directly from a corner to secure the victory for the home side. The Red Devils’ goalkeeper, Altay Bayindir, complained that he was impeded when Son’s cross was delivered, but the referee waved away the appeals.

This type of goal is known as an ‘Olimpico’ and they are far from common. Here is a closer look at where the phrase comes from and examples of other high-profile players who have scored directly from a corner, including Megan Rapinoe, Christian Pulisic and Thierry Henry.

Why is it Called an Olimpico

The origins of the phrase ‘Olimpico’ go back 100 years. During a match between Argentina and Uruguay in 1924, Cesareo Onzari scored against the Olympic champions directly from a corner. After Onzari’s effort, it became known as ‘Gol Olimpico’, which is Spanish for ‘Olympic goal’.

There were some people who thought that the goal shouldn’t stand, but the Argentinian’s goal was perfectly legal. These types of goals don’t happen often due to the angle of a corner kick, with inswinging deliveries the only way in which they can be scored. In an era of set-piece coaches, players don’t typically shoot from corners on purpose, so when it does happen, it is often seen as a fluke.

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Players Who Have Scored an Olimpico

Rapinoe scored numerous Olimpico goals during her career, including two at the Olympics. The first of these was during the 2012 edition in London in the semi-final match against Canada. After Christine Sinclair put the Canadians ahead in the first-half, the USA had a corner in the 54th minute, which saw Rapinoe curl the ball into the net at the near post, with the opposition goalkeeper and defenders unable to clear it.

Nine years later, she scored a different type of Olimpico, whipping the ball directly into the far corner past Australia’s goalkeeper in the bronze medal match. Recent examples include Christian Pulisic’s goal against Club Brugge for AC Milan in the UEFA Champions League on 22nd October 2024. The American’s inswinging corner bounced past the Belgian’s side defenders and goalkeeper Simon Mignolet before finding a way into the far corner. After the game he said:

In the past, other high-profile players have scored an Olimpico including David Beckham and Henry. The French forward was not at the peak of his powers in 2012 but still managed to score directly from a corner when playing for New York Red Bulls against Columbus Crew. Joao Morais also scored one in the 1964 Cup Winners’ Cup final against MTK Budapest for Sporting CP.

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Statistics courtesy of Goal.com – correct as of 23/12/24.