Last year, Darlington Nagbe flicked the ball up to himself and smashed a gorgeous volleyed goal that easily won 2020 MLS Goal of the Year honors. On the first day of the 2021 MLS season, João Paulo one-upped Nagbe with an even better version of the move, a stunning strike that will take some doing to prevent from being the 2021 MLS Goal of the Year.
The Seattle Sounders thrashed Minnesota United 4-0 on opening night in Seattle. The result was surprising given the intensity of the Sounders’ 3-2 stoppage-time win over United in the Western Conference Finals just a few months ago.
Raúl Ruidíaz made up for missing a penalty kick by scoring twice and Fredy Montero scored his first Sounders goal since 2012, but the moment of the match was João Paulo’s incredible volley, which opened the scoring in the 49th minute.
João Paulo Goal vs Minnesota
JOAO PAULO OH MY WORD YOU DID NOT pic.twitter.com/XwaajgdyKn
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 17, 2021
Not a bad way to score your first goal for a new club.
Here’s another look and a comparison to Nagbe’s goal last year.
We've seen this before...
Who did it better: João Paulo or @darlingtonnagbe? pic.twitter.com/tAKldBMPEz— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 17, 2021
Certainly Goal of the Year material, even after Paul Marie’s stunner against the Dynamo on Friday.
Of course, this is MLS, where anything can happen, so maybe Michael Bradley will pull off an amazing bicycle kick and steal our hearts once again and win Goal of the Year.
