Ex-Liverpool star Shaqiri rolls back years with incredible goal for Chicago Fire
Former Liverpool ace Xherdan Shaqiri earned a reputation for spectacular strikes down the years and he has shown he still has a screamer in his locker in MLS.
The Swiss attacking midfielder may have only spent two years with the Reds but certainly made his mark on Merseyside with two memorable strikes in a victory over arch-rivals Manchester United in 2018. By the time he arrived at Anfield, he had already cultivated notoriety for his penchant for breathtaking strikes, often coming up with the goods for his country.
His journeyman career took him to some of the continent's most famous clubs, with spells coming at Inter Milan and Bayern Munich before three seasons with Stoke City before Jurgen Klopp swooped to take him to Liverpool. Following a short stay at Lyon, he now turns out in MLS for Chicago Fire and the diminutive star has shown he can still turn on the style.
The 114-time international bagged seven goals in his first season with the Illinois franchise in 29 league appearances and has scored twice so far this season. He went the first 17 games of the campaign without a goal but two strikes in his four appearances prior to a match versus CF Montreal suggested he was coming back into form.
The mercurial winger certainly did not disappoint versus the Canadian outfit either, rolling back the years with a sumptuous piledriver following a routine that had clearly come straight off the training ground. Already leading 2-0, it was clear that the former Premier League star sensed his opportunity had arrived to try out a left-field move.
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He was rewarded for his ingenuity as the ball sailed past the Montreal goalkeeper after his teammate had dummied the dead ball, before Shaqiri played an instinctive one-two and then dispatched his effort. Understandably, the former Stoke City man was then mobbed by his teammates after making the score 3-0 to put the result beyond doubt.
The talented attacker certainly has a wand of a left foot and the goal was crucial as it put daylight between the two teams to guarantee all three points. The opponents came into the game level on points but the victory meant that The Men in Red gained an advantage in the race for a playoff place.
Xherdan Shaqiri scored from long range after a well-worked free-kick routine for Chicago Fire (@MLS/Twitter)As it stands, Chicago Fire sits in ninth place in the MLS Eastern Conference after 22 games on 29 points so far, trailing Wayne Rooney's D.C. United in eighth position. The former England captain's team has one more point at this stage of the campaign, having played one more game.
The win could also prove even more significant, with superstar Lionel Messi gearing up to join basement club Inter Miami in the next week. The Herons currently sit rock bottom of the Eastern Conference and trail Chicago in the final playoff berth by some 11 points, having played a single game less.
The ambitious South Beach franchise has experienced a season to forget on the pitch and they have won just once in their previous 10 outings. However, the addition of the Argentine icon, alongside midfield maestro Sergio Busquets and their former Barcelona boss Tata Martino as head coach will have supporters dreaming of a fairytale turnaround to the season.
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