Prem players' favourite goals

We realise it's probably not very helpful to give the Premiership's most arrogant stars an ego boost, but we couldn't resist the opportunity to ask a few footballing legends what the favourite goals of their careers so far have been. Some of these might seem obvious - Crouch will never score as good a goal again as long as he lives - but the personal insight and meaning some of these had will make you look at them in a whole new light. Exclusive to ShortList.com.

Frank Lampard, Chelsea
It has to be the goal I score that levelled things up in the Nou Camp. Not only was it a massive occasion and at a massive stadium but technically to score from that angle it was one of my best. People kept asking me if meant it or if it was a cross, but I can honestly say I was going for goal and it really was deliberate.

Cristano Ronaldo, Manchester United
You can have goals that are satisfying like the header I scored against Roma last season in the Champions League, but if you're asking me what goal technically is my best then it has to be the free kick I scored against Portsmouth. You can do those on the training ground, but it is nice to score ones like that when everybody is watching!

Michael Owen, Newcastle United
The best goal I ever scored was actually for England school boys versus Scotland school boys, but I can’t really choose that one! I'd have to go for the one against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup - I know we went on to lose but that’s always going to be special to me.

Fernando Torres, Liverpool
For what it meant to me and my family it has to be the goal that won the European Championships. I have scored better goals, but the only way that goal can ever be beaten as my favourite is if I score the winning goal in the World Cup for Spain.

Peter Crouch, Portsmouth
My third goal for England against Jamaica was nice, to get a hat trick for your country is not something everybody does. My best goal though was my scissor kick against Galatasary by a long way. If I play another ten years I'll do well to score a better technical goal than that.

Emile Heskey, Wigan Athletic
It was the fifth goal we scored against Germany over in Munich - a lovely move, a nice finish and the goal that made a big win turn into a hammering. We didn’t realise at the time just what we had achieved by beating the Germans 5-1 in their own back yard but to be part of England’s most famous result after the World Cup final is a real honour.

Kanu, Portsmouth
It was some years ago with Arsenal and we were playing Chelsea away. We were 2-0 down, Chelsea had everything and there was about twenty minutes to go. I had pulled it back to 2-2 and with just a minute or so to go their keeper came off their line and I was not far from the corner flag. At the time they had the World Cup winning centre backs in Desailly and Lebouef but I managed to squeeze it past them from a tight angle. The Arsenal fans went mad and I remember Dennis Bergkamp cleaning my boots!

Ryan Giggs, Manchester United
It has to be the one against Arsenal in the FA Cup. I'm sure you expected me to say that and if I'm being honest I have probably scored harder goals, but it was the way I ran with the ball when it didn’t look like there was anything on. Plus if you look at what they goal means historically, it helped us win the treble.