Diego Gómez’s 55.7-Yard Goal Lights Up Brighton’s 5-0 Palace Win
Diego Gómez produced a remarkable 55.7-yard finish as Brighton & Hove Albion swept Crystal Palace aside 5-0 on Sunday, striking from the centre circle after noticing Walter Benítez had moved well beyond his goal line.
The Paraguay midfielder received possession in the middle of the pitch, turned and drove a powerful effort directly into the net. The shot travelled on a low, clean path without a bounce, making it one of the most technically striking long-distance goals seen in the Premier League.
Gómez’s effort is the longest scored in the competition since Wayne Rooney found the net from 63.4 yards for Everton against West Ham nearly nine years earlier. While it does not threaten the division’s all-time distance record, it joins a small group of memorable goals launched from around the halfway line or further.
Gómez joins a distinguished Premier League group
Asmir Begović remains the holder of the Premier League’s longest-goal record. The Stoke City goalkeeper scored from 101 yards against Southampton in 2013, only 13 seconds into the match. His clearance was aided by wind and a favourable bounce, with Southampton goalkeeper Artur Boruc caught out of position.
Three goalkeepers feature among the best-known extreme-range scorers. Tim Howard used the wind to score from within his own area for Everton against Bolton Wanderers in 2012, although the ball bounced more than once on its way in. Paul Robinson’s 2007 goal for Tottenham Hotspur against Watford came from a free kick of roughly 95 yards, when his delivery bounced over Ben Foster.
Rooney is the only outfield player with two major entries in the modern long-range conversation. His Manchester United goal against West Ham in 2014 came from more than 45 yards, with a bouncing ball dropping kindly before he lifted an instinctive shot over Adrián. He then went even longer for Everton against the same opponents in 2017, sending a first-time effort over Joe Hart after the goalkeeper had raced out to deal with a loose ball.
David Beckham’s goal for Manchester United against Wimbledon on the opening day of the 1996-97 season remains the defining halfway-line strike. Beckham famously scored the looping effort while wearing another player’s boots, and the finish has become the benchmark for Premier League goals from distance.
Notable Premier League goals from long range
| Player | Club and opponent | Year | Key detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Beckham | Manchester United v Wimbledon | 1996 | The celebrated halfway-line finish that set the standard for this type of goal. |
| Diego Gómez | Brighton & Hove Albion v Crystal Palace | 2026 | A 55.7-yard strike after spotting Benítez off his line in a 5-0 Brighton win. |
| Wayne Rooney | Everton v West Ham | 2017 | A first-time long-range finish over the stranded Joe Hart. |
| Maynor Figueroa | Wigan Athletic v Stoke City | 2009 | A quickly taken 65-yard free kick flew over Thomas Sørensen. |
| Wayne Rooney | Manchester United v West Ham | 2014 | A spontaneous effort from beyond 45 yards beat Adrián. |
| Moisés Caicedo | Chelsea v Bournemouth | 2024 | A 50-yard shot from the centre spot on the final day of the 2023-24 campaign. |
| Charlie Adam | Stoke City v Chelsea | 2015 | Thibaut Courtois got a hand to the attempt but could not keep out Adam’s shot from inside his own half. |
| Luis Suárez | Liverpool v Norwich City | 2012 | Completed his hat-trick with a finish from about 45 yards. |
| Jonjo Shelvey | Swansea City v Aston Villa | 2014 | Returned a defensive clearance from midfield with a sharply judged long-range shot. |
| Stiliyan Petrov | Aston Villa v Derby County | 2008 | Finished Villa’s 6-0 win with a strike from near the centre circle. |
| Xabi Alonso | Liverpool v Newcastle United | 2006 | Sent a speculative effort from the centre circle past Steve Harper. |
| Asmir Begović | Stoke City v Southampton | 2013 | Scored the record 101-yard goal from his own penalty area. |
| Paul Robinson | Tottenham Hotspur v Watford | 2007 | A free kick from around 95 yards bounced over Ben Foster. |
| Tim Howard | Everton v Bolton Wanderers | 2012 | A wind-assisted kick from his own area found the net after several bounces. |
Caicedo’s Chelsea strike had been a leading contender for the Premier League goal of the season in 2023-24, but the award went instead to Alejandro Garnacho for his overhead kick against Everton. Gómez’s finish now adds another modern entry to the competition’s collection of exceptional goals from distance.
