The Champions League goal of the season competition is off and sewn up - after the first round of games
(Image credit: Future)
Stop the count: we already have the goal of the season for the 2024/25 Champions League
There's still another 183 games to go in the Champions League this season - but Zeno Debast's goal for Sporting against Lille in the first round of league phase games is already an outstanding contender for goal of the season in Europe's biggest competition.
The defender found the top corner from over 25 yards out to double his side's lead as they claimed a 2-0 victory over their French opponents on Tuesday evening.
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A swift Sporting counter-attack up the left wing was halted just outside the box before being worked back and across to Debast, who had got forward from centre-back to join the attack.
With ten-man Lille all tied up with the rest of the Sporting attack, Debast had the time and space to pick his spot, and did so superbly.
The 20 year old rifled a first-time strike into the top corner with such accuracy that goalkeeper Franco Israel knew he was beaten and did not even bother to dive after taking a step towards it path.
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One of the goals of the season already 🔥 | Sporting 2-0 Lille | UEFA Champions League Highlights - YouTube
Incredibly, the goal was the very first senior goal Debast has ever scored in 115 appearances for club and country.
The Belgium international joined the Portuguese champions from Anderlecht in the summer and has played a part in all but one of their games to date in all competitions.
Debast was part of his country's squad at Euro 2024, making two appearances in the group stage.
Steven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication, WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.
