Yury Gazinsky’s goal was good, but was it World-Cup-opening-goal-good?

Russia scored the first goal of the 2018 World Cup with a header by Yury Gazinsky. Where does it rank among the top first World Cup goals in history?

Yury Gazinsky, a defensive midfielder for FC Krasnodar and the Russian national team, scored the first goal of the 2018 World Cup against Saudi Arabia on Saturday. Gazinsky finished off a series of passes that began with a corner and ended in a well-placed header that Saudi goalkeeper Abdullah Al Mayouf could only watch nestle into the far corner.

Coming in the 13th minute of the match, it gave the partisan crowd an early advantage to cheer. It was a well-constructed goal that cracked the Saudi defense, putting the hosts ahead and giving them early hope of advancement. But where does Gazinsky’s goal rank among the first goals of World Cups past?

Here are the top three opening goals in World Cup history.

3. 1966 World Cup (Pele, Brazil)

Pele was the dominant force in global soccer by the time the Brazilians headed to England for the 1966 World Cup. In the opening match against Bulgaria, the Brazilian striker was manhandled all over the pitch. The constant battering would result in injuries that rendered him ineffective for the rest of the tournament. Even with the unwanted attention, though, Pele still managed to score the first goal of the 1966 World Cup.

He opened things up by earning a free-kick just outside the box, dead center on goal. Taking the kick himself, Pele uncorked a low blast with his right foot that broke through the Bulgarian wall and wrong-footed the keeper. It was a display of Pele’s power and his ability to place the ball perfectly.

2. 2010 World Cup (Siphiwe Tshabalala, South Africa)

With the World Cup on African soil for the first time in its history, South Africa opened the tournament against Mexico. The first half was a scoreless affair, with little more than yellow cards marking the action. That all changed after the intermission, though, as Siphiwe Tshabalala gave the home crowd a reason to erupt with the vuvuzelas.

Pouncing on the ball after a Mexican attack, the South Africans quickly pushed the ball upfield on the counter. With several long passes, the ball was sent through for Tshabalala to run on. He snatched the ball and managed to belt a left-footed shot past Mexican goalkeeper Efrain Juarez. Though Mexico would get a late equalizer, it remains one of the most iconic moments in South African soccer history and the second-best World Cup opening goal.

Next: The best player on every team at the World Cup

1. 2002 World Cup (Takayuki Suzuki, Japan)

In the first-ever World Cup co-hosted by two countries, Japan had the honor of hosting the opening match. Taking on Belgium, the Japanese side was playing in just its second-ever World Cup tournament. After losing all three matches in France four years earlier, Japan made the most of their opportunities on home soil.

Takayuki Suzuki pounced on a long ball, splitting two Belgian defenders. The ball hopped awkwardly, and it appeared at first that the goalkeeper would manage to scoop up the effort before any real danger occurred.

Instead, Suzuki dashed onto the ball and managed to poke the ball with his right foot. The ball flew into the net, sending Japan into a frenzy and giving the hosts the advantage.