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          Curl it like Dan Burn, with the head: UCL Moment of the Week

          Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
          • Sunaadh Sagar
          Nov 6, 2025, 11:45 AM

          It curled right into the top corner.

          Had it emanated from the boot of a Messi or a Ronaldo, it would have almost seemed normal. That it came from Dan Burn's HEAD, made it all the more outrageous.

          With a UEFA Champions League matchday that had witnessed a Puskas-contender in Micky van de Ven's stunning 67.7m solo run and goal , it would take something out of this world to even shift that away from the headlines and highlight reels.

          In the eleventh minute of Newcastle United's game against Athletic Bilbao, Dan Burn provided exactly that out-of-the-world moment.

          This column explores the beautiful game's best moments; championing goals and assists with an aesthetic bias. Dan Burn has now featured twice. Ironically, the last time he appeared on this page the writer assumed that would be the only time the big, bruising centre-back would figure. How wrong we were.

          What makes it even more incredible is Burn isn't appearing once more after a bloodthirsty, childhood-dream-fulfilling, leap and headed strike that wiped everyone in his way. This was perhaps the most aesthetically pleasing headed goal in UEFA Champions League history, with the broadcast angle perfectly placed to amplify just how utterly unique the strike was.

          Athletic Club probably sensed no danger when Bruno Guimaraes was tripped on the right wing, earning Newcastle a free kick in the tenth minute. As Eddie Howe's team set up, given the location, there was only one candidate to send in the delivery.

          Kieran Trippier, who has now assisted five of Burn's nine goals, stood over the ball, keenly aware of what was expected from him. A delivery with plenty of whip on it, sent into an area where all of Newcastle's big men were on hand to cause Ernesto Valverde's side plenty of problems.

          The studious Bilbao coach had no doubt looked up Burn's threat from set-pieces, but the Blyth-born defender left a few confused with his starting position. Standing well outside the box, behind the line of attackers Newcastle had set up, Burn's unusual position perhaps explained why Athletic forward Robert Navarro was tasked with marking him.

          As Trippier stepped up, Burn faked to go inside, before moving away from the mass of Newcastle and Athletic players. He was aided by teammates Joelinton and Malick Thiaw, who served like NFL blockers, occupying the best of Athletic's defenders and leaving plenty of space for Burn to run in on the outside, towards the back post.

          The delivery also played a fair part in the goal, with plenty of pace and whip on it. Burn had the space, he had the delivery, all he needed was the right contact. Stooping a bit to meet the ball, Burn didn't aim straight for the top corner - there was plenty of distance, and it could deviate further. Almost delicately, the 6'7'' defender caressed the ball with his head, aimed slightly outside of the post, and watched in goal-bound certainty as the ball curled in a wonderful arc before nestling in the top corner. Burn now had more UCL goals in his career than a certain Alexander Isak.

          St. James Park erupted in full noise, aficionados of the art of heading having witnessed Alan Shearer plunder them in many a time. None like this, though. Shearer himself, leapt to his feet in applause in the director's box, well aware that he had witnessed one of the all-time best headers.

          Speaking to TNT Sports after the game, the typically humble Burn downplayed his effort, saying "I've been due one for a while, and the ball came in, I decided I was going to head it as hard as I could, and luckily it went in the far corner, so I was happy with it. Sometimes that's probably about one in a hundred goals, a lot like the cup final one, but I'll take that. I've been due a goal for a while, so at least it was a good header."

          His manager Eddie Howe felt differently, arguing it was better than Burn's Carabao Cup-winning effort, saying "It was an incredible header from Dan. I would like to see how far out it was. It was a well-worked routine, and it was a strong header from distance. It would be difficult for him to do something as magical and memorable as the header in the cup final but the one tonight was probably technically better."

          For one of the best-ever headed goals in the UEFA Champions League, Dan Burn makes a return appearance in ESPN India's UCL Moment of the Week.