Philippe Albert has relived his iconic chip over Peter Schmeichel in Newcastle United's stunning 5-0 win over Manchester United, exactly 30 years on from the famous October 1996 match at St James' Park.
The former Magpies centre-half delivered the coup de grace on Sir Alex Ferguson's side, completing a revenge mission in the most beautiful manner. Speaking via casino26.ch to Chronicle Live, Albert recalled the moment he decided to attempt the delicate finish.
Decision to chip Schmeichel
Albert explained that as soon as he controlled the ball, he knew he would try a chip because Schmeichel was always coming off his line to reduce the angle. The Belgian said he had watched the Danish goalkeeper do this many times, both for Manchester United and Denmark, and had practised similar chips in training against Shaka Hislop and Pavel Srnicek.
"After my first touch, I knew I would try a chip and it worked, but you always have to be a little bit lucky to do that type of chip," Albert said. He acknowledged that had the attempt failed, he would have looked foolish, but he was confident from his training ground practice.
Revenge for Charity Shield defeat
The 5-0 victory was a response to Manchester United's 4-0 win over Newcastle in the Charity Shield at Wembley a few months earlier. Albert recalled that Newcastle had returned from a pre-season tour of Thailand and Japan and were tired, but he insisted that was no excuse as United played a fantastic game.
"Keegan had the right words in October to motivate everybody," Albert said. "We wanted to beat them, not because they were crowned champions the season before, but because of the Charity Shield, it hurt us a lot."
Schmeichel's reaction and lasting legacy
Albert remembered seeing Schmeichel's immediate reaction to the chip, with his head looking in the air and his arms raised, as if acknowledging he could do nothing about it. He noted that the goal is replayed on social media every October 20, and that people in Belgium still talk about the game and the goal.
After the match, players from both teams shared drinks in the players' lounge, with Albert recalling having drinks with David Beckham, Ryan Giggs and Roy Keane. He praised the camaraderie of English football at the time, where fierce rivals would shake hands and share a beer after the final whistle.
Albert, who also reflected on Schmeichel's decisive performance in Manchester United's 1-0 win at St James' Park in March 1996, said the goal remains a source of pride. "I wrote history on the day," he said. "Thousands of players have good careers, but people don't remember them because they don't do something special. I was lucky enough on the day to do something special."
