Skills that pay the bills giving football fans thrills and chills

Top drawer goals, dazzling tricks, impressive celebrations, outrageous fan reactions ... the past fortnight of football has had it all as players pushed the boundaries of what's possible on the pitch, leaving fans with nothing else to do but sit back and enjoy the ride.

That there is Chelsea's world class goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, bamboozled and up-ended by a long-range Charlie Adam shot that defied logic. (Getty) Source: AFP

Takahagi's goal and celebration

The best thing about Western Sydney Wanderers midfielder Yohiro Tkahagi's nicely-taken curler into the top corner against Melbourne City last Friday is what happened afterwards, the Sumo celebration. The A-League needs more characters like Takahagi, whose moves may not tickle the fancy of disciplinarian coach Tony Popovic, but they're set to make the Japanese gun a fan favourite. 

Chamanga's goal and celebration

Not to be outdone, Liaoning Whowin FC's Zambian star James Chamanga took the goal/celebration combination to a new level when he produced this 'backward sombrero' to score for his side, before being sliced and diced in a moving piece of post net-ruffling theatre.

Wayne Rooney's volley

Manchester United star Wayne Rooney would have scooped the 'goal of the week' plaudits for this volley against Aston Villa.

Then Charlie Adam popped up with this and swept the headlines from under Shrek's studs.

Charlie Adam's floater

The Stoke City engine room operator joined an exclusive list of players who can say they made Thibaut Courtois look silly with his audacious 60-metre effort that even earned the praise of Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho:

Thing is, it's not the first time Adam has dabbled in the top-drawer stuff from long range, fine-tuning his technique while playing for Blackpool's reserves against Accrington Stanley in 2009. Even the ref was impressed!

Sneijder bamboozles the defence

It is the Vine clip you won't be able to stop watching as Galatasaray midfielder Wesley Sneijder makes three defenders look like witches hats not once, but twice. Thankfully for us, a keen fan captured the moment from multiple angles.

It still looks good from afar, mind you.

Five of the best for Ronaldo

Speaking of witches hats, Granada did well to stop Real Madrid from getting to double figures on Monday (AEST). In fact, it did well to stop Cristiano Ronaldo from getting to double figures. The Portuguese striker's tally has ticked over like an AFL scoreboard this season, and while none of the goals against Granada would have you tweeting 'stunned' emoticons to your mates, the guy got five ... in single game.

Dimi's assist

The most surprising thing about Steven Lustica's hat-trick was that you didn't read that sentence on April Fool's Day. The best thing about it was the assist from Dimitri Petratos for the third. Dimi jinked, he feinted, he turned, he flicked, he arguably ventured offside, he then he laid the goal on a platter for Lustica.

Brek Shea's goal

OK, we'll get this out of the way first. The guy's actual name is Dane Brekken Shea. What he did for United States against Switzerland was impressive, but not 'skills of the week' impressive, until a disbelieving fan reacted like this.

Marco Fabian's turn

What would a Zindeine Zidane turn, mixed with a splash of Cruyff and injected with steroids, look like? Over to you Marco Fabian.

Galekovic's goal-keeping masterclass

Adelaide United goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic showed why he is considered the best in the A-League, getting his gloved paws to more shots than you'd see lined up on the bar at a high school formal after-party. Against Sydney FC in Rond 24, and in the wet, Galekovic's match-winning turn kept his side in the game and allowed the Reds to nick the points with Awer Mabil's late and, fittingly for this column, stunning strike.