Rowdies' Joe Cole remembers his World Cup goal 12 years later

ST. PETERSBURG (FOX 13) - Tampa Bay Rowdies assistant coach Joe Cole loves this time of year. When the World Cup rolls around, he takes time to remember the moment people back in England still talk about, 12 years later. 

Cole has represented his home country of England in three World Cups. There's one moment though, that sticks out above all the others. 

"I just remember being so excited, so happy, just enjoying every moment of it and taking it in," he reminisced. "It all went by so quickly."

Cole scored the goal that put the English up 1-nil over Sweden in the 2006 World Cup. His goal is still talked about today.

"People remember me for that," Cole said. "You can't complain, it's a good moment for people to remember you by."

From more than 30 yards out, an exhausted Cole took a shot hoping to make the improbable possible. The trajectory and height of the ball soared over Sweden's Andreas Isakkson.

"I think it was just before halftime," he remembered. "The last thing I wanted to do was not connect the pass and have to run 50 yards back so I just thought, 'Let's just hit a shot here.' The goalkeeper was having a bit of an indecisive game so it worked out." 

Cole signed with the Rowdies two years ago. He's now an assistant coach for the team but is looking ahead to the next stage of his soccer career. 

"Someone once said to me, 'Your career passes by in the blink of an eye.' When I was a young man, you think to yourself, 'Yeah,' but it really does," he said.

That World Cup goal amounted only to seconds of a career that has spanned more than 700 games. They are seconds English soccer fans will never forget.