The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup has seen a lot of spectacular goals so far, but one from Panama’s Marta Cox early in their group stage match against France Wednesday stood out. In the second minute of that contest, Panama was awarded a free kick from well outside the box. And Cox came through there, delivering a curving strike into the top left corner that Fox’s Jimmy Conrad called “the best goal of the World Cup”:
I know I’ve said this already but THIS is the best goal of the World Cup!
We bow down to your greatness, Marta Cox! 🇵🇦🇵🇦🇵🇦pic.twitter.com/wlxDt0kXb3
— Jimmy Conrad (@JimmyConrad) August 2, 2023
Here’s another angle of that:
Marta Cox of Panama with easily the best free kick you'll see this week 😵🚀 #PANFRApic.twitter.com/n9Ma2uHF1W
— OneFootball (@OneFootball) August 2, 2023
This is the first Women’s World Cup Panama has appeared in, and this was the first goal for the country on that stage. They were already eliminated from potential progression ahead of this match after losing their first two matches (falling 4-0 against Brazil and 1-0 against Jamaica), but Cox certainly gave them a spectacular moment. And she drew a ton of praise for that from people and media outlets around the globe:
Goal of the tournament contender?? 🤯
Marta Cox has scored an absolutely stunning free-kick 🔥
It's Panama's first ever Women's World Cup goal 🤩#FIFAWWC #PAN v #FRA pic.twitter.com/eKqwgZAUGQ
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 2, 2023
GOAL OF THE TOURNAMENT! UNBELIEVABLE!
Marta Cox with a sensational finish from distance that gives Panama their 1st ever World Cup goal!#FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/9xI6Fh4oPI
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 2, 2023
Marta Cox just went about as top bins as top bins gets for Panama's first ever Women's World Cup goal. 💪
She celebrated accordingly. 🎉 pic.twitter.com/2sCOYbkqGq
— Attacking Third (@AttackingThird) August 2, 2023
Panama won't go through or pick up points from their first Women's World Cup, but this Marta Cox goal will live on for a long time. Incredible. pic.twitter.com/v7YjFmO69n
— Jeff Kassouf (@JeffKassouf) August 2, 2023
That is one helluva goal 😮
Panama’s Marta Cox in the second minute v France tonight
— Glenn Mitchell (@MitchellGlenn) August 2, 2023
This also made some negative history for the French team:
1 – Through Marta Cox's direct free-kick for Panama after one minute and seven seconds, France have conceded the fastest goal in their history in a major competition (World Cup + EURO + Olympic Games). Surprise. #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/iUfXXmaMhV
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) August 2, 2023
The match as a whole here didn’t work out as well for Panama, with France responding with five unanswered goals (including a hat trick from Kadidiatou Diani) before Yomira Pinzón added another one for Las Canaleras. But the 26-year-old Cox, the team captain, gave her country an incredible highlight. And it’s one that stacks up against some of the best goals from this tournament so far.
[Jimmy Conrad on Twitter]
