Eric Dier became the first England player in European Championships history to score directly from a freekick with his stunning effort against Russia on Saturday.
After Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney failed to impress from dead-ball situations, England handed the ball to Tottenham’s Eric Dier. Little did they know that the young Englishman would find the back of the net from the freekick and create history for the Three Lions.
After a drab 70 minutes of football, the Group B encounter burst into life when Eric Dier’s outrageous freekick swerved its way into the goal, leaving Russian goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev with no chance to deviate the ball away from the net. What the likes of Rooney and Kane failed to do, Dier accomplished on his very first attempt.
Here’s how the Spurs midfielder managed to score England’s first goal of the Euros:
The glorious strike unsurprisingly created a frenzy on social media.
0 – Eric Dier hasn’t attempted a single shot from a free-kick in his 65 Premier League games. Random.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 11, 2016
YOUR GOALKEEPER IS TERRIFIED!
FREE KICKS FROM DIER!— IconicMartial (@IconicMartial) June 11, 2016
2004: Eric Dier meets David Beckham at the Euros.
2016: Eric Dier scores a beautiful free-kick at the Euros.#ENG pic.twitter.com/U5GYAl5fDT
— BreatheSport (@BreatheSport) June 11, 2016
Eric Dier should’ve celebrated like this! pic.twitter.com/eSLHLSFAGU
— Not Match of the Day (@NOT_MOTD) June 11, 2016
Free-kick goals at Euro Championship finals:
Eric Dier (1)
David Beckham (0)
Steven Gerrard (0)
Frank Lampard (0) pic.twitter.com/uvxJOPoirW— Squawka Football (@Squawka) June 11, 2016
Eric Dier for Maddie McCann is the best trade deal we’ve ever done.
— Stout (@Stout_SAFC) June 11, 2016
Only a matter of time until a big club comes in for Eric Dier. Great goal & screened the back 4 well tonight.
— Ben Adams (@benadams79) June 11, 2016
Thank you Portugal for the education you gave to Eric Dier
— DPY (@DPY_PRODUCTIONS) June 11, 2016
Dier, that was sooooo nice. From that distance/position, that’s the only thing to do. Keeper must know that
— Hogan Ephraim (@HoganEphraim) June 11, 2016
Drill It Like Dier pic.twitter.com/IIYcJil9T8
— 101 Great Goals (@101greatgoals) June 11, 2016
We’ve often used ‘dire’ to describe England in major tournaments – it’s nice to change the spelling & the meaning tonight #Dier⚽️
— Darren Fletcher (@DFletcherSport) June 11, 2016
From Bend it like Beckham to Dip it Like Dier
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) June 11, 2016
Tomorrow Never Dier
— Fred Macpherson (@fredmacpherson) June 11, 2016
Eric Dier: Has scored as many goals (2) in his last 4 starts for England as he had in his last 35 Premier League apps for Spurs #ENG
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) June 11, 2016
French BeIN have just called Eric Dier ‘Payet Anglais’… Impressed with free kick.
— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) June 11, 2016
Must admit when I saw dier standing over the free kick, I did shout at the TV ‘dier get away from it pal’ ??
— Scott borthwick (@Borthwick16) June 11, 2016
6 – If Eric Dier was taking corners, England would be winning 6-0 now. Deadball.
— OptaJoke (@OptaJoke) June 11, 2016
Germany ⚽
Russia ⚽? Dier’s on ?, your defence is terrified. ? pic.twitter.com/hThtYCfWht
— bet365 (@bet365) June 11, 2016
What a free kick from Dier. Plenty of credit to Cahill. Moved off side of the wall and that created the gap for Dier to hit into.
— Danny Higginbotham (@Higginbotham05) June 11, 2016
Eric Dier’s game by numbers vs. #RUS:
100% tackles won
89% pass acc.
4 clearances
3 interceptions
1 brilliant goal pic.twitter.com/o1TNbAOMzo— Squawka Football (@Squawka) June 11, 2016
Take a bow!
