Aaron Ramsey and 20 Other Great UEFA Champions League Goals

It shouldn't be surprising that European football's most prestigious club competition has managed to deliver some of the most memorable goals in the history of the sport. 

Remember Zinedine Zidane's volleyed winner for Real Madrid in 2002? Or Mauro Bressan's spectacular overhead kick for Fiorentina in 1999? PSG striker George Weah's solo effort in 1994 also springs to mind. 

The list goes on, and in homage to Aaron Ramsey's quite brilliant long-range strike for Arsenal against Galatasaray on Tuesday, we decided to pick out some of the best. 

Let's get to it.

20. Jean-Pierre Papin

Back in the days of multiple group stages, Jean-Pierre Papin helped AC Milan win their bracket and book a place in the 1993 Champions League final when he scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory away to Porto. With 19 minutes remaining at Estadio das Antas, Papin struck a volley from the edge of the box that left the goalkeeper with no chance as the Rossoneri went on to claim the three points. 

19. Lucho Gonzalez

Lucho Gonzalez had only a moment to think as a defensive clearance flew at him from the Hamburg goalmouth. He ended up smacking the ball back from whence it came with a thunderous volley that put Porto on course for a 3-1 win and progression from their group in 2006.

18. George Weah

George Weah's 1994 goal against Bayern Munich is all the more impressive as it came against Oliver Kahn, one of the greatest goalkeepers in football history. Picking up the ball about 35 yards from the target, the Paris Saint-Germain striker shimmied past three opponents, jinked his way between another trio of defenders and then beat Kahn with a thunderous finish inside the top, near corner.

17. Marc Overmars

Marc Overmars' 2001 goal against Liverpool was a team effort, which is hardly surprising given that he played in a Barcelona team that also included Rivaldo and Xavi. Latching onto an exquisite through ball played out of midfield, the Dutchman left Sami Hyypia and Stephane Henchoz in his wake as he danced in along, rounded the goalkeeper and slipped a delicate finish into the back of the net.

16. Amantino Mancini

Enigmatic winger Amantino Mancini enjoyed some special moments with Atletico Mineiro, Roma and Inter Milan, but his 2007 goal for the Giallorossi against Lyon was among his very best. Attacking his marker with a series of step-overs, the Brazilian wizard spun the defender into the ground before releasing a rocket of a shot that found its way inside the top corner, right where the owl sleeps.

15. Samuel Eto'o

Samuel Eto'o scored six Champions League goals during the 2005-06 season, which his Barcelona side concluded by lifting the European Cup. But his best came in a November group-stage match against Panathinaikos. Breaking down the left-hand channel, the Cameroon striker needed only a single touch of the ball to send it curling in the top, far corner of the goal.

14. Paul Scholes

One of Paul Scholes' most famous goals came in the semi-finals of the 2007-08 Champions League, when his thunderous drive from distance left Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes with no chance whatsoever. Running onto a bouncing ball, the Manchester United midfielder proceeded to send it careening inside the far post from 30 yards, and the Red Devils advanced to the final on 1-0 aggregate.

13. Thierry Henry

Arsenal progressed all the way to the 2006 Champions League final, and Thierry Henry's stunning strike against Sparta Prague during the group stage helped them on their way. Knocking down a hard pass on the edge of the 18-yard box, the forward spun to take a shot and found the far corner of the goal with the single touch of the outside of his right foot.

12. Dejan Savicevic

AC Milan came into the second half of the 1994 Champions League final leading Barcelona 2-0. Two minutes after the restart the match was put to bed when Dejan Savicevic scored a sensational goal that sealed the title for the Rossoneri. On the edge of the box and at a difficult angle to the goalkeeper's left, Savicevic released a high, looping effort that found the back of the net at the far corner.

11. Dejan Stankovic

What sets Dejan Stankovic's 2011 goal apart is just how quickly it happened. Less than 30 seconds had ticked off the clock following kick-off when Inter Milan found themselves leading Schalke. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer's clearance had sailed towards the centre circle, from which Stankovic released a stunning volley that send the ball straight back into the Schalke goalmouth and beyond the helpless Neuer.

10. Michael Essien

Andres Iniesta's injury-time winner is probably the most-played highlight of the May 2009 meeting between Chelsea and Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals. But prior to his late heroics it was Michael Essien putting Chelsea ahead at Stamford Bridge. Early in the first half the Ghana midfielder's spectacular volley from more than 25 yards beat Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes to his top, right-hand corner and temporarily put Chelsea in the driver's seat.

9. Mikael Nilsson

IFK Goteborg demolished PSV Eindhoven over two legs in 1993, and in one of them Mikael Nilsson happened to convert one of the most spectacular free kicks in Champions League history. With the ball planted directly in front of goal and about 25 yards out, Nilsson hit an effort with such swerve the goalkeeper moved to the wrong direction before finally being beaten at his right-hand side. 

8. Gheorghe Hagi

Legendary Romanian playmaker Gheorghe Hagi struck one of the Champions League's most memorable, long-range efforts in the first match of Galatasaray's 2000-01 campaign against Monaco. Accepting the ball on the left, the former Barcelona man hit an unstoppable, left-footed shot that rocketed into the top, far corner of the goal. 

7. Hugo Almeida

Where Mikael Nilsson's free kick swerved it's way into the back of the net, Hugo Almeida's stunner in 2005 was arrow-straight and cannoned into the goalkeeper's top, right-hand corner. The Portugal forward struck the ball from well near 30 yards, but even his heroics couldn't prevent Inter Milan from picking up the victory and sending Almeida's Porto out of the competition.

6. Ronaldinho

Barcelona and Chelsea had numerous memorable encounters during the last decade, but few more so than their Round of 16 match in 2005. With Eidur Gudjohnsen, Frank Lampard and Damien Duff having put the Blues ahead 4-2 on aggregate, Ronaldinho scored a first-half brace to pull the Catalans back into the tie. His second goal, which came in the 38th minute, saw the Brazilian stop in front of a packed Chelsea goalmouth, briefly wiggle his leg and then drill an accurate shot into the back of the net. John Terry's goal in the 76th minute ended up sealing the result for Chelsea.

5. Fredrik Ljungberg

Fredrik Ljungberg's goal against Juventus in the second group stage of the 2001-02 season had more to do with the genius of Dennis Bergkamp than Ljungberg, himself. Spinning off his marker and jinking through a pair of Juventus players, Bergkamp proceeded to scoop a pass to Ljungberg with his heel that the Swede then chipped over the goalkeeper.

4. Stelios Giannakopoulos

It had power, it had precision and it completed a quick, attacking move that saw Olympiakos score their first-ever goal in the group stage of the Champions League. Accepting a well-placed pass but with a Porto midfielder beside him, Stelios Giannakopoulos belted an arcing drive from more than 30 yards that found the top corner of the goal despite the 'keeper's lunge to stop it.

3. Claudio Lopez

One of the finest volleys you're likely to see was struck by Valencia's Claudio Lopez in a September 1999 match against PSV Eindhoven. Running to the outer edge of the six-yard box, the Argentine looked over his shoulder just in time to see a long, arcing pass out of the centre of the park heading directly for him. He turned his body just in time to smash a volley into the underside of the net from a tight angle.

2. Mauro Bressan

Mauro Bressan struck the most spectacular overhead kick in Champions League history in November 1999. Only 14 minutes had ticked off the clock when, having noticed the ball bounce free from a battle just next to him, the Fiorentina midfielder flipped himself in the air and unleashed a scorcher that beat Barcelona goalkeeper Francesc Arnau. The match ended up finishing 3-3 and both sides progressed from the first group stage of the competition.

1. Zinedine Zidane

Is there any argument? With Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen level at a goal apiece in the 2002 Champions League final, Zinedine Zidane scored the most famous goal in the competition's history. Awaiting Roberto Carlos' high, accurate pass from the left, the Frenchman proceeded to take a wild swing with his left foot that send the volleyed effort hurtling into the back of the net. Madrid went on to lift the European Cup, and Zidane's spectacular goal stood as the winner.