The throw-in comes deep in the opponent's half, near the corner flag. Asante Elite Soccer Academy are already 2-0 up against Etobicoke FC, but Emmanuel Doherty isn’t thinking about protecting a lead. He shows for the ball, collects it, and suddenly finds himself in a 1v1 situation.
What happened next became the best goal of his career so far.
"I shifted the ball to the left and seeing he was flat footed, I exploded right and took it down the line," says Emmanuel. Another defender stepped up. He rolled the ball left, threw in a stepover, and the defender bought it. Now he was racing down the line again, but the goalkeeper had rushed out to narrow the angle.
What happened next became the best goal of his career so far.
"I shifted the ball to the left and seeing he was flat footed, I exploded right and took it down the line," says Emmanuel. Another defender stepped up. He rolled the ball left, threw in a stepover, and the defender bought it. Now he was racing down the line again, but the goalkeeper had rushed out to narrow the angle.
Emmanuel opened up his body and finished far post.
Arms spread wide, he ran down the field, clapping and giving high fives to teammates who couldn't quite believe what they'd just seen. The U-15 player from North York, Toronto had just beaten multiple defenders in a solo run that belonged in a highlight reel, not a youth league match in September.
The goal nobody would believe
You know the type of youth football story that nobody quite believes. Someone tells you about the incredible solo goal they scored, and you nod along while thinking they're probably exaggerating. The details get bigger with each retelling until nobody knows what actually happened.
"It feels amazing to have my goal recorded on Veo because not many people would have believed I scored a solo goal," says Emmanuel.
He's watched it many times since that day.
"It's definitely the best goal of my career so far," he says.
The footage shows everything. The first touch to control the throw-in. The body feint that sent the first defender the wrong way. The stepover that froze the second. The composure to look up with the goalkeeper charging at him and still pick out the far post. It's technical ability combined with decision-making under pressure, the kind of combination that separates decent players from ones who might go somewhere.
Submitted for the People's Puskas
Emmanuel's goal has been submitted for this year's People's Puskas, which spotlights the best goals scored away from the biggest arenas.
"To have my goal submitted for the People's Puskas means a lot to me and I hope I win," says Emmanuel.
Winning would be great. But the goal has already given him a reminder of what he's capable of when everything clicks.
"To have a goal like this documented means a lot to me as a player as it reminds me of the potential I have and the levels I could reach in the future," he says.
Emmanuel is thinking about levels. About potential. About a future where football could mean something more than youth league matches in North York.
The motivation in the footage
Every aspiring footballer has moments of doubt. Training sessions where nothing clicks. Matches where you can't get into the game. Days where you wonder if you're good enough. Emmanuel can go back to this goal when he needs to remember what he's capable of.
The goal came in a match Asante Elite would go on to win 3-1. They were already ahead when he scored, so it wasn't the difference between winning and losing. But some goals matter more than the scoreline. Some goals change how you see yourself as a player.
When Emmanuel shifted that first defender and exploded down the line, he wasn't thinking about winning the match. He was playing with freedom, with confidence, with belief. The goal confirmed what was already there.
Beat that
Over 10 million goals have been recorded with Veo in 2025. Somewhere in that massive collection are thousands of moments like Emmanuel's. Players who did something they didn't know they could do, goals that changed how someone saw themselves.
Emmanuel's goal is now part of this year's People's Puskas, competing against other incredible strikes from grassroots players around the world.
The question now is what happens next. Emmanuel knows what he can do when everything clicks. He has a reason to believe in the levels he could reach.
The rest is up to him.
Can you beat that?
