Top 10 Most Exhilarating goals in World Cup history

They don't call The World Cup the "biggest sporting event in the world" because of the size of the stadiums. For one month every four years, all eyes are trained on a single nation as superstars, upstarts and fading veterans from all corners of the planet converge on a few fields of grass to negotiate global football supremacy. But regardless of who emerges victorious, in the end, it's all about the World Cup goals.

North Americans have failed to adopt football as their own because of a decided lack of scoring and a perceived stagnancy that operates in direct opposition to the run-and-gun style of the NBA, NHL, and NFL. So for those out there still on the fence about the world's most popular sport, the following 10 World Cup goals should be requisite viewing.

Here are our favorite examples of 10 footballers who seized the moment on the world's Grandest Stage and didn't let go until the ball was in the back of the net.

#10: Archie Gemmill: Scotland v Netherlands, 1978

Scotland entered the tournament brimming with confidence, but after a pair of disastrous group games, the Scots were in tough against tournament favorites Holland, needing to win by a three-goal margin to advance. Though they failed to accomplish their mission, no Scot will ever forget the brilliant goal scored by the pint-sized Archie Gemmil, where he weaved his way through three Dutch defenders and lifted the ball past goalkeeper Jan Jongbloed. It was truly a World Cup goal for the ages.

#9: Arie Haan: Holland vs Italy, 1978

Before David Beckham was bending it all over the Premiership, Dutch midfielder Arie Haan was firing twisty long-range bombs to the delight of millions. None more monumental then this 35-yard rocket he launched against Italy to put his team through to its second consecutive finals while sending a stunned Azzurri home packing.