Anatomy of a goal: Patrik Schick's extraordinary looping long-range lob against Scotland

The European Championships have provided the stage for some of football's greatest ever goals down the years; Marco van Basten's volley, Gazza's dribble and Ronnie Whelan's bicycle kick to name but a few.

And that rich history was punctuated once again during Scotland v Czech Republic at Euro 2020 - unfortunately at the Scots' expense.

Inevitably, all the pre-match chat in the UK centred around Scotland and their return to a major tournament for the first time in 23 long and agonising years. Their opening match of the tournament, at Hampden Park, in front of 12,000 returning fans, against the nation who are - on paper - their weakest opponents in Group D. Surely, surely, this was only going to go one way?

Well, no.

By the 52nd minute, Czech frontman Patrik Schick had ripped up the script and stolen the show with one fell swoop of his left foot.

Having already dampened the raucous atmosphere in Glasgow by nodding home the opener shortly before half-time, the languid Bayer Leverkusen striker silenced Hampden with what was surely the most extraordinary goal in European Championship history to make it 2-0.

Unfortunately for the hosts, the strike was a direct result of a rush of blood to the head from Jack Hendry, although he could hardly have expected his ridiculous shot from all of 35 yards to be punished so ruthlessly.

In that moment the pendulum swung - from one awful long-range shot to an inch perfect one.

Hendry's effort cannoned off Tomas Soucek and rolled into space, with Schick running onto it just over the halfway line as Grant Hanley looked to get close to him in an attempt to deny any breakaway.

He needn't have bothered.

Striding onto the adidas Uniforia, 49.7 yards from David Marshall's goal in the distance, Schick whipped his left foot around the ball to send it arching into the blue Glasgow sky.

Surely not. Surely f***ing not.

The very second the 25-year-old's turquoise Nike Mercurial made contact with the ball it looked good, it looked on. The crispness and accuracy of the ludicrous strike was reflected in Marshall's frantic scramble back towards his own goal.

Alas, there was nothing he could do, except join the ball in crashing into the back of his net.

This was a remarkable goal in every single sense; the speed of thought, the technique, the ridiculously accurate finish that seemed to end up bang in the centre of the goal. A level of perfection you can only truly appreciate when you witness the curve and swing in the reverse angle.

Goal of the tournament on matchday four. A goal that Euro 2020 will be remembered by. A goal and performance that could well have the power to shape Schick's destiny - a player who had so much potential but has flattered to deceive at 25 years old after spells at Roma, RB Leipzig and Leverkusen. But, that said, if he retired today he'd probably be happy.

A goal for the ages that will immediately join Van Basten's, Gazza's and Whelan's in the pantheon of the very, very greatest in European Championship history; Patrik Schick's extraordinary, looping, long-range lob in the Scots' back yard. Tek a boo son, tek a boo.

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