This Week in Football History: Dennis Bergkamp shows his genius

Dennis Bergkamp - footballing genius

Dennis Bergkamp scored some unbelievable goals in his career but today Adrian North looks back on one of his best, yet largely forgotten, wonder goals... 

January 15, 1997 - Sunderland 0-2 Arsenal, Roker Park: Bergkamp's greatest forgotten goal  

In past articles of mine I have often harped on about the glory of a singular moment. Essentially my argument has been this - forget about all the medals and trophies and awards you've seen your team or favourite players win over the years. That's not the reason we watch and love the sport, or at least it's not the most basic and fundamental reason we all fell in love with football.  

The glory of a singular moment, a brilliant goal, an amazing save, a goal-saving tackle - the moments that take our breath away and make our hair stand on end. That's what made all of us fall in love with football in the first place. No amount of silverware can ever replace that delight you get when your favourite player does something truly special and in every football fan's childhood there is a singular moment that made you realise just why we call it the beautiful game.  

As an Englishman whose first proper World Cup memories are of France '98 you might expect that Michael Owen's wondergoal against Argentina to be the moment that I became infatuated with football. But it wasn't. Sure, that was a wonderful moment and I remember losing my mind when Owen did that, but the first time football rendered me truly speechless was during that tournament's quarter-final between Netherlands and Argentina, when with just a minute left Dennis Bergkamp did this.   

And if there has ever been one player from the last 20 years that so perfectly proves my 'glory of a singular moment' point that player would be Dennis Bergkamp. Bergkamp, while a fantastic player, and easily one of the best to ever grace the Premier League is largely remembered for a few moments of sheer artistry and genius.  

The goal he scored against Argentina (above), scoring one of the best hat-tricks ever against Leicester in 1997, and the magic trick he pulled on Newcastle's Nikos Dabizas in 2002 are Bergkamp's three crowning moments of glory.   

But on January 15, 1997, midway through his second season at Arsenal, Bergkamp scored a goal (below) that may just about deserve to be placed in the company of the aforementioned three examples. A goal no one seems to remember. Then again, a wonder goal in an FA Cup Third Round replay against Sunderland doesn't quite have the same prestige as a last minute winner in a World Cup quarter final.   

Anyway, in mid January of 1997, following a 0-0 draw to Sunderland at Highbury, the Gunners made the trip up to Roker Park, in its last season of use before Sunderland moved to the Stadium of Light, for the replay. Following a dull first half Bergkamp must have decided enough was enough at the break as just a minute after the restart he scored one the best FA Cup goals of that year.  

Picking up a Paul Merson pass, Bergkamp pulled off a couple quick drag backs (I believe we call this move 'the roulette' these days) before charging into the box. The Sunderland defender Andy Melville actually doesn't do much wrong when faced with the onrushing Dutchman. Melville's positioning was decent enough to apparently keep Bergkamp on the outside of him and on his weaker left foot. But Bergkamp, arching his body away from goal simply poked the most gorgeous of chips, complete with a tiny bit of curl for good measure, away from Sunderland's helpless keeper and into the top corner.  

And judging by his celebration it seemed Bergkamp himself couldn't quite believe what he had just done. Neither could someone in the commentary booth behind Martin Tyler, a casual "Ahhhhhh!" from a voice in the background just about sums up the brilliance of this goal.