It is difficult to remember a year more people will be glad to see end than 2020, but in many ways this year has been a special one on the American soccer front, and particularly for American players in Europe, where a booming generation of young stars enjoyed a breakout year.
Led by Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and new faces like Gio Reyna, the Americans Abroad contingent blazed new trails across Europe, and also delivered as impressive a collection of goals as have ever been produced by Americans in one year. Considering all the challenges this year presented, and the fact seasons were cut short, that is no small accomplishment.
The SBI editorial team has put together a list of the Top 25 goals scored by Americans Abroad in 2020, and ranked them based on degree of difficulty, level of competition, game context and overall entertainment value.
Christian Pulisic didn’t finish with the top goal on our list, but he did dominate the Top 25 with a whopping five entries, with Gio Reyna the next on the list with three goals worthy of being ranked.
It should be noted that we were not able to track down video of every single goal scored by Americans Abroad, so there could definitely be some goals from 2020 that deserve to be on this list, so feel free to let us know if any goals we missed that you believe deserve being included.
Now, without further delay, here are the Top 25 goals scored by Americans Abroad in 2020:
25. Timmy Chandler vs. Freiburg, May 26
American Timothy Chandler’s equalizing goal for Frankfurt vs Freiburg. #Bundesliga #soccer pic.twitter.com/P6qmPGb0i8
— TheSportsCast.net 🏈🏀⚽️ (@thesportscast1) May 26, 2020
24. Tim Weah vs. Celtic, Dec. 10
Tim Weah scores his first goal for Lille. The @USMNT forward scores against his former team. pic.twitter.com/TznTIU3jQ0
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) December 10, 2020
23. Tyler Boyd vs. Trabzonspor, Sept. 13
🇺🇸 forward @Tyler__Boyd letting one FLY as he finds the back of the net for @BesiktasEnglish in 🇹🇷!
👀 👏
(@beINSPORTSUSA) pic.twitter.com/WzgcaDiIHf
— U.S. Soccer MNT (@USMNT) September 13, 2020
22. Christian Pulisic vs. Aston Villa, June 21
🇺🇸 Christian Pulisic vs Aston Villa 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/dsidktmEZr
— Chelsea FC en español (@ChelseaFC_Sp) December 27, 2020
21. Lynden Gooch vs. MK Dons, Jan. 18
🏆 We'll go ahead and file this under:
📂 Sky Bet League One
└📁 Goal of the Month
└📁 January
└📁 Winner pic.twitter.com/xQBG6hRB7z— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) February 14, 2020
20. Yunus Musah vs. Getafe, Nov. 1
Yunus Musah's first #LaLigaSantander goal is now a big part of @valenciacf_en's history! 🦇🌟
📽️ Enjoy it from all angles thanks to @livescore's 360° replay! #360replay pic.twitter.com/h5kBlLMypz
— LaLiga English (@LaLigaEN) November 3, 2020
19. Sebastian Soto vs. Helmond, Oct. 23
Sebastian Soto connects for a ridiculous volley from a tight angle! What a goal from the #USMNT prospect and on-loan Telstar forward
(via @FoxSportsnl) pic.twitter.com/9PQXKEUJzB
— Planet Fútbol (@si_soccer) October 23, 2020
18. Sebastian Saucedo vs. Pachuca, January 12
Sebastián Saucedo, 22 year old Mexican-Aamerican scores a nice solo goal in his debut for @PumasMX! pic.twitter.com/Ho8CXrpmvd
— Mexican Prospects (@MXProspects) January 12, 2020
17. Gio Reyna vs. Eintracht Frankfurt, Dec. 5
What a strike by Gio Reyna 🔥
He becomes the second youngest American to score two Bundesliga goals after Christian Pulisic. pic.twitter.com/FyDGXe433O
— ESPN (@espn) December 5, 2020
16. Christian Pulisic vs. Liverpool, July 22
CHRISTIAN #PULISIC GOAL ALERT
The 🇺🇸 can't be stopped! It's 4-3! #LIVCHE
📽️: @NBCSportsSoccer pic.twitter.com/9bQ2mRGaiM
— SiriusXM FC 157 ⚽️📻 (@SiriusXMFC) July 22, 2020
15. Emmanuel Sabbi vs. Randers, July 5
Sensational finishing by the young American winger Emmanuel Sabbi(22)🇺🇸🇬🇭🔥🔥🔥 7th goal of the season. #youngtalent💪🏽🌪🎯#HobroIK #sldk #hobrfc #nike #nikeathlete #nikefootballer #fusmnt #usmnt #usmntonly #youngamericansabroad1 #ghanasoccerstars pic.twitter.com/iVsqN1ZinG
— Sabbi11_fanpage (@Sabbi11F) July 5, 2020
14. Duane Holmes vs. Wycombe, Nov. 29
👌 Duane Holmes became the first player to score a goal under Wayne Rooney's management – and what a finish it was too!
👏 @DuaneHolmes #DCFC @dcfcofficial @WayneRooney pic.twitter.com/5J80XVv2jl
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) November 29, 2020
13. Tim Weah vs. Dijon, Dec. 16
🚨 TIM WEAH GOAL 🚨
The #USMNT forward seals a Ligue 1 victory for Lille 🇺🇸
(via @beINSPORTSUSA)pic.twitter.com/r9C26rDKwq
— Yahoo Soccer (@FCYahoo) December 16, 2020
12. Duane Holmes vs. Middlesbrough, Jan. 11
Duane Holmes goal for Derby vs Middlesbrough #volley 🇺🇸⚽️ pic.twitter.com/Hx2k5xswiX
— James Nalton (@JDNalton) January 11, 2020
11. Josh Sargent vs. Hertha Berlin, March 7
WHAT A HIT JOSH SARGENT! 🚀
The American put @werderbremen_en ahead early at Hertha with his first @Bundesliga_EN goal in almost four months. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/5LwxcUWYvO
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) March 7, 2020
My favorites are 2of Reyna’s goals–#18 and #2. With the first one, even though I had seen it several times before, whenever I see it I always expect him to try to curl it inside the far post and then he hits that screamer just inside the near post corner. Just wow. And then his second where he chipped to the far corner was just so audacious and cheeky.
10=11