Despite being more than 30 yards out, he let fly. [2] Freddie Ljungberg doubled the initiative ten minutes later with a powerful run and sumptuous finish to clinch a league and cup double for Arsene Wengers side in 2002. However, the tension was considerably eased 42 seconds later when Roberto Di Matteo scored with a 30-yard strike which flew in off the crossbar. The man for the big occasion. 2023 Minute Media - All rights reserved, won the competition for the first time ever. The ball exploded off his foot and over Ben Roberts, leading to a pumped up Di Matteo racing along the touchline in celebration, leaving his team-mates in his wake. All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing. No surprise to see Di Matteo picked here. OOHHH YOURI TIELEMANS! But you already know what happened next. However, the tension was considerably eased 42 seconds later when Roberto Di Matteo scored with a 30-yard strike which flew in off the crossbar. And in the 88th minute he entered FA Cup folklore as he chased a Patrik Berger long ball, beat Lee Dixon and Tony Adams and fired a left-footed finish into the bottom corner. Video, 00:01:05, Potter insists there are positives within Chelsea camp, Can Everton ever be great again? But he took a shot instead and I was thinking, What are you doing taking a shot from there?. Video, 00:01:00No regrets starting Kane on bench - Stellini, Whoops! "I lost control of the ball just a little before the goal but I shot. Ahead of Saturday's Wembley showdown between Arsenal and Aston Villa, which will be shown live on the BBC, we wanted you to let us know which is your favourite final goal. Roberto Di Matteo (Chelsea v Middlesbrough, 1997) What a start. But this . Third was Roberto Di Matteo's goal for Chelsea against Middlesbrough in 1997. As Pompey rued a missed penalty at one end, Drogba was standing over a free kick at the other. Certainly one of the best times I had in my career. He kicked on from there. 2023 BBC. "I have watched the FA Cup since I was a little boy and I can't think of a goal that was better than that or one that was more meaningful.". The Chelsea midfielder's goal was not only a stunning strike but was the fastest ever goal scored in an FA Cup Final at the time, hitting the net after just 42 seconds. He also seems uneasy with the idea of basking in the glory of his record-setting strike, preferring to remember his career through the shared experiences with a group of people he formed a tight bond with. 2. FA Cup: 50 memorable goals - Roberto Di Matteo's speedy strike, Top 50 FA Cup goals: Di Matteo's drive. The midfielder left it until the final to score what was only his second goal of the season when he curled a sublime right footed shot beyond Carlo Cudicini into the top corner to give Arsenal the lead. The Middlesbrough-born forward scored the only header on our list - and what a header it was. Since then, they have won consistently.. Trusted News Discovery Since 2008. There was a clear winner in this category, with Cech earning almost 13,000 votes and way out in front of second-place Peter Bonetti. This one took 72. We trained as normal the day before. Round 4: Hednesford Town 23 Middlesbrough, Round 5: Manchester City 01 Middlesbrough, Quarter-Final: Derby County 02 Middlesbrough, Semi-Final: Chesterfield 33 Middlesbrough, Chelsea took the lead just 42 seconds into the match, with Italian midfielder Roberto Di Matteo receiving the ball and firing it into the goal off the crossbar from 25 yards to record what was at the time the quickest ever goal in a Wembley FA Cup final (Louis Saha broke this record 12 years later in the 2009 final after just 25 seconds, coincidentally against Chelsea, though Chelsea won the match 21), breaking Jackie Milburn's 42-year record. Sometimes you need a little luck and this is what happened. It takes some bottle to rocket one in from 25 yards in one of the biggest games of your life, but the Belgian is by no means the first to grace an FA Cup final with a stunner. Left-back Pearce stepped up to thunder a left-foot rocket past Erik Thorstvedt into the top corner, but Spurs went on to win 2-1 with Des Walker scoring an extra-time own goal. pic.twitter.com/amiQBtk9UN. Lets be honest, there was no doubting that JT would be included here! Famous former Blues include Peter Osgood, Gianfranco Zola, Frank Lampard, John Terry, Didier Drogba \u0026 Eden Hazard. Throw in his two cup final wins as manager of the Blues, the most famous of which was undoubtedly in Munich, and youve got the seemingly unanswerable question: what is the defining image of Roberto Di Matteo at Chelsea? Concetta. What a start. Can Everton ever be great again? Ray The Romford Pele Parlour. As well as his 1997 strike against Boro, there was a goal against the same opposition in the following years League Cup final, before he brought up his Wembley hat-trick against Aston Villa in 2000. The only goal was scored by Roberto Di Matteo, who owns the record for fastest FA Cup final strike with his 43-second rocket against Middlesbrough three years ago. For sender corporate and licence details please visit our Imprint page. Not only is it a thing of beauty it is the start of everything for Chelsea in the modern day. Last updated on 27 May 201527 May 2015.From the section FA Cup. Trusted News Discovery Since 2008. The 1997 FA Cup final was the 116th final of the FA Cup. "It was a great goal but it got lost and hardly got a mention.". Video, 00:01:01Epic breakfasts & 585lb deadlifts - Jones' transformation, 'I've not sought assurances on owners' Video, 00:01:00'I've not sought assurances on owners', From Football Manager to football manager. But it may not even have been the best goal of the game "One of the tragedies of Ricky Villa's winner was Steve MacKenzie's goal," Micky Hazard, who was at Spurs at the time, told BBC Radio 5 live. Read about our approach to external linking. United were down to 10 men after Kevin Moran's red card against holders and favourites Everton. The club had gone so many years without winning anything. The most recent goal on this list came in arguably the greatest FA Cup final of all time. Eddie Newton added a second after 83 minutes to seal a 2-0 win for the Blues and their second FA Cup crown. The goal that won us the #FACupTake. He went pretty crazy. Plus Robbie in midfield, of course. Video, 00:01:00, No regrets starting Kane on bench - Stellini, Whoops! On a poll conducted by the BBC in 2015, the Italians effort was voted by viewers and readers of the website as the third-greatest to ever be scored in an FA Cup Final. He adds: I just went chasing him all round the pitch. West Ham had one hand on the trophy and were minutes away from causing an upset, until Gerrard fired a low drive from 35 yards past Shaka Hislop to level the game at 3-3. BBC Sport is looking back at 50 iconic FA Cup goals in the build-up to the first round proper, which takes place in November. Didier always delivered whenever we were in the FA Cup final and that was highlighted by the Chelsea fans, with the Ivorian the clear winner in this category. Gullit treated it as just your typical game in terms of our preparation. Only 43 seconds had elapsed and, at the time, it was the fastest goal scored in an FA Cup final at Wembley - a record since surpassed by Louis Saha, who netted against the Blues for Everton in 2009 after 25 seconds - but Di Matteo took it all in his stride. Here's hoping for a few more contenders to add to the list today. ? By the time the two sides met to fight it out for the oldest domestic cup competition in the world, Di Matteo had a respectable eight goals to his name. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. He jumped as high as he could and didnt get near it. Chelsea went in to the 1997 FA Cup final against Middlesbrough hoping to win their first major trophy in 27 years so nerves were understandable at kick-off. And what followed was one of the FA Cup's iconic moments. Will the Blues add a ninth FA Cup to our trophy cabinet today? But the way the ball dipped, made the shot unstoppable. And you voted Gerrard's strike ahead of Ricky Villa's famous finish for Tottenham against Manchester City in 1981. Along with Peter Osgood and Didier Drogba, Di Matteo can be considered one of Chelseas cup final kings. Video, 00:07:26, 'Massive performance' from Man Utd - Ten Hag. The rest? In second place was a trademark Lampard strike from 2009 (14 per cent) and in third was Drogba's 2007 winner against Manchester United, the first Cup final goal at the new Wembley. Lining up on the right-hand side of midfield in this team is Ramires, who became the first Brazilian to score in an FA Cup final in 2012 as we defeated Liverpool at Wembley. Ahead of Saturday's Wembley showdown between Arsenal and Aston Villa, which will be shown. "He absolutely smashed this half-volley. They pressed so high up the pitch after Minto had headed out for a throw-in, there was little cover when Wise won possession back. 'Massive performance' from Man Utd - Ten Hag. Thats Mark Hughes. It was obviously an important game for us as a club after 26 years without a trophy.. Read about our approach to external linking. Without everybody being together and working towards an objective, you will not achieve anything. ABOUT CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB Founded in 1905, Chelsea Football Club has a rich history, with its many successes including 5 Premier League titles, 8 FA Cups and 1 Champions League, secured on a. - Ten Hag almost forgets EFL Cup. Read about our approach to external linking. This final had two stunning solo efforts but the opening goal from Parlour makes it onto our list. Di Matteo was a regular on the scoresheet with the Blues, thanks in no small part to his accurate, yet powerful, striking from distance. But I was very lucky because when I hit the ball it went first up and then down behind the goalkeeper.. Ljungberg then scored in his second final in a row as the Gunners won 2-0 to secure the Double. carol dickinson obituary; madame clairevoyant horoscope for today; southland mall sold. Our editorial content gives you insight into the form and trends occurring across a number of sports before you place a bet. With the Sky Blues losing 2-1, Dave Bennett's perfect cross was met by a Houchen diving header to steer the ball past Ray Clemence and send the game into extra time. Middlesbrough kick-off but Italy international Roberto Di Matteo picks up the ball in his own half 35 seconds into the game. Cooke played a major part in our win over Leeds, with a sublime pass to set up Osgood for that iconic diving header. [15] Di Matteo's goal was the fastest in a Wembley FA Cup final until the record was broken by Louis Saha for Everton in 2009. Technically, he was a very good player his touch was good and he could score these long-range goals. The Fastest FA Cup Final Goal. Its the only channel where youll get an authentic look at life at this great club. No words needed indeed.Liverpool had battled back from 3-1 down to give themselves half a chance of taking the 2006 FA Cup final to extra-time, and as the ball was cleared out from the West Ham penalty area on the brink of the full-time whistle, Liverpool were just praying it would fall to Gerrard.And it did. It was the fastest goal scored in an FA Cup final at Wembley - a record since broken by Louis Saha in Everton's 2-1 defeat by Chelsea in 2009. He was exactly the same afterwards; a really cool, chilled guy. Roberto Di Matteo scores a wonder goal in the first minute of the game to give Chelsea the lead against Middlesborough in the 1997 FA Cup finalWEBThe FA: thefa.comWembley Stadium: wembleystadium.comTWITTERThe FA: twitter.com/faThe England Football Team: twitter.com/englandWembley Stadium: twitter.com/wembleystadiumThe FA WSL: twitter.com/fawslFACEBOOKThe FA Cup: facebook.com/thefacupThe England Football Team: facebook.com/englandteamThe England Womens Football Team: facebook.com/englandwomenThe FA WSL: facebook.com/fawslWembley Stadium: facebook.com/wembleystadiumINSTAGRAMThe England Football Team: instagram.com/england It was the fastest goal scored in an FA Cup final at Wembley - a record since broken by Louis Saha in Everton's 2-1 defeat by Chelsea in 2009. Video, 00:01:01, Epic breakfasts & 585lb deadlifts - Jones' transformation, 'I've not sought assurances on owners' Video, 00:01:00, From Football Manager to football manager. Roberto Di Matteo - Chelsea 2-0 Middlesbrough (1997) There could only really be one, couldn't there? Roberto di Matteo led Chelsea to a famous Champions League victory in 2012 - cementing his status as a club legend. That was how long it took him to score the fastest Wembley FA Cup final goal, eclipsing Jackie . On Thursday we are marking 10 years since the clubs first Champions League triumph, which the Italian led us to during his spell as manager and, incidentally, he also won the FA Cup that season by beating Liverpool in the final but before that, on Tuesday, it is 25 years since he first wrote his name in Chelsea folklore with a Wembley worldie in a famous win over Middlesbrough. Fifteen years later as caretaker manager, Di Matteo led Chelsea to their only Champions League success to date, only to be sacked months later. manor farm barn, frindsbury; universal reclining bucket seats Video, 00:01:00No regrets starting Kane on bench - Stellini, Whoops! Fans sent them into me to sign and send back. Video, 00:00:19, '22m followers doesn't make it a 50-50 fight' Video, 00:00:57, '22m followers doesn't make it a 50-50 fight'. Video, 00:01:48Top 50 FA Cup goals: Di Matteo's drive, Up Next. Saha may have scored the fastest FA final goal ever after just 25 seconds, but this match-winning strike from Lampard meant Chelsea won 2-1 after Drogba's equaliser. That figure was not fed to him; he knows the numbers behind the club which has been a part of him for the past couple of decades and a half. Eden netted the only goal of the game the last time we lifted the famous trophy, coolly slotting home from the spot as we beat Manchester United in 2018. Jump to content. Words. However, the tension was considerably eased 42 seconds later when Roberto Di Matteo scored with a 30-yard strike which flew in off the crossbar. 1. Completing our back four is our ever-dependable left-back, Ashley Cole. I saw him coming onto it but there were a lot of players between him and me and he hit it so well it was in the back of the net almost before I could react. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Chelseas former left-back is talking about Roberto Di Matteos remarkable strike after just 43 seconds of the 1997 FA Cup Final against Middlesbrough. This week the Italian, who also fired three cup-winning goals for the. Di Matteo picked up the ball on the halfway line before driving forward and firing an unstoppable effort in off the crossbar to beat a helpless Ben Roberts in the Boro goal from 25 yards. The fastest ever goal in an FA Cup final at the time. Sylvain Wiltord played the ball to Parlour 45 yards out and as he ran towards goal, the Blues defence backed off, only to see the 'Romford Pele' curl home past Carlo Cudicini from 25 yards. The 2006 FA Cup Final will forever be known as The Gerrard Final. Gianluca Vialli/ Player Chelsea/ Player-manager Chelsea after Ruud Gullit's sack. Every step of the way the fans were saying the same thing: Is this going to be our year?. we wanted you to let us know which is your favourite final goal. This moment sparked a celebration which made many of the back pages as five team-mates (Wise, Leboeuf, Jody Morris, Dan Petrescu and Erland Johnsen) posed with him for the cameras. Seven seconds. No surprise to see Di Matteo picked here. Michael Owen vs Arsenal (2001) . A goal which deservedly takes its place on the list. Within 42 seconds of the kick-off of the final against Middlesbrough, Di Matteo scored the opening goal from 30 yards and Chelsea won 2-0. $count = count($specifications_fields['footer_content']['footer_assoc'])?>. With nine minutes remaining, a visibly drained George smashed a superb 20-yard shot past Liverpool keeper Ray Clemence before collapsing to the ground with his arms outstretched in celebration. Chelsea went in to the 1997 FA Cup final against Middlesbrough hoping to win their first major trophy in 27 years so nerves were understandable at kick-off. Wed been inconsistent in the league (finished sixth) but we just felt our name was on the cup. Video, 00:00:19Whoops! I went from the right-hand side all the way to the dugout on the other side so by the time we were finished celebrating, I was proper breathing!. I always used to watch it. Chelsea's 1997 FA Cup winners", "ROBERTO'S QUICKIE MAKES ROBBO SICKIE! Video, 00:00:58'Massive performance' from Man Utd - Ten Hag, No regrets starting Kane on bench - Stellini. What I noticed is that a lot of people would know the Champions League, but the true, loyal Chelsea fans would probably say 1997. What a player. Video, 00:01:01Epic breakfasts & 585lb deadlifts - Jones' transformation, 'I've not sought assurances on owners' Video, 00:01:00'I've not sought assurances on owners', From Football Manager to football manager. I managed to score the goal, which helped us massively, but it is a team effort. Skip to main content. He has also reported on the England national team between 2008-19 and been a regular contributor to talkSPORT radio station for over a decade. Louis Saha Only 43 seconds had elapsed and, at the time, it was the fastest goal scored in an FA Cup final at Wembley - a record since surpassed by Louis Saha, who netted against the Blues for Everton in 2009 after 25 seconds - but Di Matteo took it all in his stride. Middlesbrough kick-off but Italy international Roberto Di Matteo picks up the ball in his own half 35 seconds into the game.. No Chelsea team is complete without Super Frank, the Blues all-time leading scorer in the FA Cup. The Athleticsreporters have chosen their top three goals scored by the clubs they cover and over the next three weeks, will be writing a piece on each of them. But as a moment of high drama, importance and skill, 1997 will always be hard to beat. Seven seconds later it was in the back of the net via a 30-yard strike which flew in off the crossbar. Previously, the fastest goal in an FA Cup final at Wembley had been Roberto Di Matteo's opener for Chelsea against Middlesbrough in 1997 (42 seconds). Enjoy. He wasnt in the middle of all the celebrations just to the side, chipping in.. No. Can Everton ever be great again? Chelsea went into the game as strong favourites. There are some really good pictures of it. Maybe the Middlesbrough players didnt think I would. After receiving the ball from Dennis Wise, the Italian midfield maestro was allowed to run unchallenged from his own half into Middlesbrough territory and when he was 30 yards out, with the defenders still backing off, there was only one thing to do pull the trigger. He wasnt in the middle of all the celebrations just to the side, chipping in.. He could be very quiet but once you had his trust, were part of his inner circle, he showed just what a funny guy he is. - Ten Hag almost forgets EFL Cup, '22m followers doesn't make it a 50-50 fight' Video, 00:00:57'22m followers doesn't make it a 50-50 fight'. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. - Ten Hag almost forgets EFL Cup. He just knew how to keep everybody calm. Nowhere else will you get closer to world-class stars like Christian Pulisic, Kai Havertz, Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner, NGolo Kant, Sam Kerr, Fran Kirby \u0026 Pernille Harder.ABOUT CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUBFounded in 1905, Chelsea Football Club has a rich history, with its many successes including 5 Premier League titles, 8 FA Cups and 1 Champions League, secured on a memorable night in 2012. He scored in the Carabao Cup Final and FA Cup victories in 1998 and 2000 respectively. ? Chelsea signed Di Matteo from Lazio for 4.9 million the summer before. This goal is iconic, Minto insists. We were all a bit gutted about that, Minto adds. 'Massive performance' from Man Utd - Ten Hag. I have never seen Di Matteo celebrate a goal like that. The most 1990s English football goal you'll ever see.Free-kick from the edge of the box. After Spurs failed to clear a free-kick, Tommy Hutchison headed the ball across to MacKenzie, who hit a spectacular first-time volley from outside the box to make it 1-1 in the replay at Wembley. Fifteen years later as caretaker manager, Di Matteo led Chelsea to their only Champions League success to date, only to be sacked months later. 1 - @cpulisic_10 is the first American player to score in an FA Cup final, while it was Chelsea's quickest goal in the final of the competition since Roberto Di Matteo in 1997 (first minute v . We didnt stay in a hotel for three, four nights like many teams for the Cup final did back then it was just the one. And yesterday the stand-in Blues boss created another record by winning. I didn't even know where to run. Eddie Newton added a late second as Chelsea won 2-0 to end their trophy drought. 'Man Utd capable of punishing Liverpool' Video, 00:03:41'Man Utd capable of punishing Liverpool', Obada on NFL, troubled upbringing & helping others. 402 views, 2 likes, 0 loves, 0 comments, 2 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Sportsignings: Di Matteo doing bits on the phone 2007 I remember that match, cos I think his sister had heart problems and she was there in the crowd watching him. Another one joining in up in the stands was Di Matteos blind sister Concetta. That performance sees him included and he will hope for more of the same against Leicester today. FA Cup: 50 memorable goals - Roberto Di Matteo's speedy strike, Top 50 FA Cup goals: Di Matteo's drive. Blues fans around the world have been voting all week to pick an all-conquering Chelsea FA Cup final team, as well as our best final goal, and now we can reveal the results. Top 50 FA Cup goals: Di Matteo's drive. He took a bit of criticism because the shot went over him in the middle of the goal. He knew how huge this game was, that people around the world were watching it. Never was the result more spectacular than in his first FA Cup final, an occasion he had witnessed many a time growing up in Switzerland without quite grasping its significance. Late in the first half Gianluca Festa put the ball in the net for Middlesbrough, but the goal was controversially ruled out for offside. Ahead of the FA Cup final this weekend, check out 8 of the best FA Cup final goals, from last minute winners, to 30 yard screamers. Chelsea went on to win 2-0 for their first major trophy in 27 years. Charlie Cooke. The rest, as they say, is history. For the general public it's probably 2012.. Video, 00:01:05Potter insists there are positives within Chelsea camp. The Ivorian made a habit of scoring at Wembley, but his best effort proved to be the match winner in the 2010 final against Portsmouth. After a goalless 90 minutes, Liverpool led through Steve Heighway but Eddie Kelly levelled things up. The Northern Ireland prodigy scored his second FA Cup final goal at the age of only 20 - and it proved to be the winner. His arrival was outshone by that of legendary Italy international Gianluca Vialli from Juventus, as well as suffering a back injury in pre-season. The FA Cup has witnessed some magical goals over the years. Almost 50,000 votes were counted and verified and we can reveal the players inducted into our ultimate FA Cup final team below! Let us know your favouriteDownload Chelsea FC's official mobile app:-App Store https://apple.co/2vvlN9t-Play Store http://bit.ly/2MfNJHX Subscribe: http://che.lc/YTsubscribeTo watch more EXCLUSIVE Chelsea content go to: http://che.lc/YTwebsiteWelcome to the official home of Chelsea Football Club on YouTube. The only thing I didn't quite realise was the importance of it until I got here., The whole journey to Wembley that season was a rollercoaster of emotions; from the astonishing comeback against Liverpool to the back-and-forth with Leicester, followed by the relief of reaching the final against a Wimbledon side that had previously revelled in giving the foreign legion a black eye. Chelsea took the lead just 42 seconds into the match, with Italian midfielder Roberto Di Matteo receiving the ball and firing it into the goal off the crossbar from 25 yards to record what was at the time the quickest ever goal in a Wembley FA Cup final ( Louis Saha broke this record 12 years later in the 2009 final after just 25 seconds, It was the fastest goal scored in an FA. Winning goals in the finals of 1997 and 2000 the first, against Middlesbrough, was the fastest scored in a Wembley FA Cup final at the time and an absolute worldie, too. It was the first major honour in the career of most Chelsea's players, but for Mark Hughes, it was the fourth time that he had featured in an FA Cup winning side (having played on the winning Manchester United teams of 1985, 1990 and 1994). I still feel for Roberts, Minto admits. The long-haired midfielder scored an extra-time winner as Arsenal wrapped up a league and cup Double with a 2-1 victory. There could only really be one, couldn't there?With just 42 seconds on the clock, Di Matteo's spectacular strike against Middlesbrough was the fastest goal in FA Cup final history and remained such for 12 years until Louis Saha came along.More importantly, though, it was a thunderbastard of a strike.The diminutive Italian brought the ball forward from inside his own half and unloaded his strike from such a ludicrous distance that you can't even blame any of the Boro defenders for failing to close him down. It was also the club's first major trophy in 26 years. Simon Johnson has spent the majority of his career as a sports reporter since 2000 covering Chelsea, firstly for Hayters and then the London Evening Standard. Lamps enjoyed his best year in the competition in 2007 when he netted six times en route to the final against Manchester United but his best was two years later when he scored a screamer as we beat Everton. Who scored the fastest FA Cup final goal? ; Blue heaven in 43 seconds", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1997_FA_Cup_final&oldid=1133695092, May 1997 sports events in the United Kingdom, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 15 January 2023, at 02:27. Video, 00:01:00, No regrets starting Kane on bench - Stellini, Whoops! Eddie Newton added a late second as Chelsea won 2-0 to end their trophy drought. 'Man Utd capable of punishing Liverpool' Video, 00:03:41, Obada on NFL, troubled upbringing & helping others. Video, 00:07:26Can Everton ever be great again? The categories were split into positions goalkeeper, defence (full-backs and centre-halves), midfield and forwards and weve gone with a traditional 4-4-2 formation. Home. Tottenham's Paul Gascoigne brought down Gary Charles, causing damage to his own knee ligaments that would keep him out of the game for almost a year. It nearly shattered the crossbar on its way in. - Ten Hag almost forgets EFL Cup. "As soon as I ran towards the goal I forgot about everyone around me. Everyone remembers the chaos of that game, but dont forget the class of Cooke. When it comes to naming the most important Chelsea goal in modern times, one stands out from all the rest. Global Edition. Gary Mabbutt - who had earlier scored in the right net - later put the ball past his own keeper as Coventry won the only major trophy in their history. A goal which deservedly takes its place on the list. When you were talking about English weather, a bit like Switzerland, you say it's always raining, but I always saw a nice and sunny day for the FA Cup final, a beautiful ground and a great atmosphere. Since the 1990s games have been held at both the new and old Wembley Stadium, plus the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, all of which feature in our top four FA Cup final goals. It took place on 17 May 1997 at Wembley Stadium and was contested by Chelsea and Middlesbrough, the North East club appearing in its first FA Cup Final. Video, 00:01:05Potter insists there are positives within Chelsea camp. But on his home debut in Englands top division in August 1996, the elegant midfielder made his mark, stroking the ball from 25 yards out to provide Chelseas first win over Middlesbrough that season. [1] For Middlesbrough, it was a second final defeat of the 199697 season (having lost the League Cup Final to Leicester City the previous month), to go with their controversial relegation from the Premier League. Middlesbrough played a part in their own downfall. They were a team renowned for a silky playing style under head coach Ruud Gullit and their opponents had just been relegated from the Premier League. History had been made too for it was the fastest-ever goal in the final, a stat which was beaten 12 years later against Chelsea, funnily enough, when Louis Saha converted with his left foot after only 25 seconds. The build-up to this one was Arsene Wenger's Arsenal at their very best. His skillfull abilities made him one of the Blues best assets during the late 90's. He scored 9 goals in his debut season and helped Chelsea to get to the 1997 FA Cup Final. Middlesbrough's prolific striker Fabrizio Ravanelli limped off after 21 minutes, further diminishing his side's chances of victory. In Switzerland they didn't show many English matches, but the final was always the one they showed live. Read about our approach to external linking.