Where are they now? 10 forgotten ex-Premier League footballers who scored wonder goals

Everybody loves a wonder goal and over the years, the Premier League has gifted spectators with a wide range of jaw-dropping efforts.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s free-kick against Portsmouth, Tony Yeboah’s efforts against Wimbledon and Liverpool, and Danny Rose’s volley against Arsenal are just some of the many that will spring to mind.

But sometimes, those who score the wonder goals aren’t always successes in the Premier League. For some, it was the peak of their career before returning to obscurity.

Here are 10 ex-Premier League players you may have forgotten who have scored wonder goals, and where they are now.

1. Pajtim Kasami (FULHAM vs Crystal Palace 2013)

Age: 29

Current club: FC Basel

The goal: With Fulham 1-0 down at Selhurst Park, Sascha Riether played a long ball into the Crystal Palace half which Pajtim Kasami took on his chest, in his stride, before firing a right-footed volley from just inside the area over the head of Julian Speroni.

Just eight months after scoring his wonder goal against Crystal Palace, Kasami was sold to Olympiacos where he’d spend two seasons before being loaned to Nottingham Forest. Now 29 the 12-cap Switzerland international is now playing for FC Basel in his homeland.

2. Wahbi Khazri (SUNDERLAND vs Chelsea 2016)

Age: 31

Current club: Saint-Étienne

The goal: Fighting relegation and 1-0 down to Chelsea, Wahbi Khazri pulled Sunderland level with a perfect volley from outside the area after Gary Cahill’s poor headed clearance, leaving Thibaut Courtois with no chance.

Wahbi Khazri would stay at Sunderland until their relegation from the Premier League in 2016 when he was sent out on loan to Stade Rennais. The Tunisian then joined Saint-Etienne in the summer of 2018 on a permanent deal, leaving Sunderland in League One. Khazri has scored 30 goals in 89 Ligue 1 games so far for Saint-Etienne.

3. Matty Taylor (PORTSMOUTH vs Everton 2006)

Age: 40

Current club: Retired

The goal: In a tough encounter at Fratton Park, Matthew Taylor gave Portsmouth the lead with a left-footed volley from 45 yards which left Tim Howard as a spectator, watching it dip over him into the back of the net.

Once a familiar name in the Premier League, playing for Bolton Wanders, West Ham United and Burnley after leaving Portsmouth in 2008, Taylor finished his career playing in League Two with Swindon Town having joined as a player-coach from Northampton Town in 2017.

He has since left Swindon after a one-game spell as interim manager and is now in charge of Walsall having spent two years with Tottenham coaching the U18s.

4. Hugo Rodallega (WIGAN vs Aston Villa 2009)

Age: 36

Current club: Esporte Clube Bahia

The goal: Hugo Rodallega got Wigan’s first season under Roberto Martinez off to a perfect start as he dispatched a superb, looping 20-yard volley over Brad Friedel and into the top-left corner after Nicky Shorey’s misplaced header.

A favourite for Fantasy Football team-mates, Rodallega (Bomb) — Wigan fans missed a trick by not calling him ‘Allega Bomb’ — left Wigan in 2012 to join Fulham before leaving for Akhisar Belediye, Trabzonspor and Denizlispor. He left Turkey in 2021 to join Brazilian side EC Bahia.

5. Maynor Figueroa (WIGAN vs Stoke 2009)

Age: 38

Current club: Free agent

The goal: Another Wigan member from the 2009/10 season, Mayor Figueroa showed brilliantly quick thinking in taking a free-kick from just inside his own half which floated over Thomas Sorensen into the back of the net.

Figueroa left Wigan for Hull City in 2013 but would return to the Latics a year later on loan. Following that, the Honduran joined MLS side Colorado Rapids for five months before moving to FC Dallas in 2016. The defender made 66 appearances for FC Dallas before joining Houston Dynamo in January 2019 – leaving in the recent January transfer window.

6. Oussama Assaidi (STOKE vs Chelsea 2013)

It's 2-2 against Chelsea.
90 minutes on the clock.@stokecity need a hero.

Up steps Oussama Assaidi 😱#GoalOfTheDay pic.twitter.com/juRy9ZlqUe

— Premier League (@premierleague) August 10, 2017

Age: 33

Current club: Retired

The goal: Oussama Assaidi gave Stoke City a vital win against Chelsea in 2013 with a late winner, cutting inside from the right to beat Petr Cech with an effort from outside the area into the top-right corner.

Following the end of his loan from Liverpool, Assaidi joined United Arab Emirates side Al-Ahli in January 2015 before finally signing for FC Twente at the end of 2016. Assaidi retired in 2019, starting his own sports gym in Morocco.

7. Carles Gil (ASTON VILLA vs Sunderland 2016)

Age: 29

Current club: New England Revolution

The goal: A goal that will be remembered for both the finish and the assist. It was as much about the run of Adama Traore and the cross as it was Carles Gil’s acrobatic volley inside the area.

Gil’s career at Aston Villa would not last past their relegation to the Championship, with the Spaniard being sent on a two-year loan to Deportivo La Coruna before making the move permanent in the summer of 2018. Gil joined New England Revolution in January 2019 and was named MLS Newcomer of the Year in his first season, also making the MLS Best XI.

8. Diniyar Bilyaletdinov (EVERTON vs Manchester United 2010)

Age: 36

Current club: Free agent

The goal: With Everton a goal down to Manchester United, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov pulled the Toffees level with a thunderous strike from outside the area which had Edwin van der Sar helpless in goal.

After two-and-a-half years at Everton, Bilyaletdinov returned to Russia, joining Spartak Moscow. The Russian has since represented Anzhi Makhachkala, Torpedo Moscow (both on loan from Spartak) and Rubin Kazan, before signing for Lithuanian side FK Trakai in 2017. Bilyaletdinov was released following the 2018 season and has been without a club since.

9. Alexander Tettey (NORWICH vs Sunderland 2014)

Age: 35

Current club: Retired

The goal: During a tough clash at the bottom of the Premier League, Alexander Tetty gave Norwich City hopes of survival with a powerful volley from 25 yards after John O’Shea’s headed clearance.

Tettey remained with Norwich until 2021, a nine-year spell in total with 263 appearances, before joining Rosenberg last summer. However, after just six months he called time on his career and is now working on getting his coaching badges at Rosenberg.

10. Cristhian Stuani (MIDDLESBROUGH vs Sunderland 2016)

Age: 35

Current club: Girona

The goal: In the first Wear-Tees league derby in over seven years, Cristhian Stuani gave Middlesbrough the lead with a brilliant 25-yard strike which sailed into the top-left corner past Vito Mannone.

Stuani was one of a handful of players to leave Middlesbrough following their relegation from the Premier League in 2017, joining Spanish side Girona, where he remains having scored 97 goals in 158 games so far.

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