The Goal of the Month is a monthly segment on BBC's Match of the Day television programme, in honour of the best goal scored each month. The segment has been featured on the programme since the 1970–71 season. Typically, a selection of eight or ten goals from the month are shown and The Goal of the Month is decided by the subjective opinion of one of the pundits, such as Alan Hansen, Mark Lawrenson or Alan Shearer. Until the 2006–07 season, viewers were given the chance to win a prize by selecting the correct winner. For the majority of the 2007–08 season, the BBC did not allow any competitions due to a money-for-competitions-entry scandal, but towards the end of the season and for the goal of the season competition, normal service was resumed., The award of Goal of the Month was usually given as 1st, 2nd and 3rd best goal of the month on Match of the Day up until the BBC lost the right to show Premiership highlights in 2000. When highlights returned to the BBC, the format was reduced to only the best goal of the month being announced.
The winners usually go forth to contest the Goal of the Season.
The theme tune used when showing the nominated goals now changes each season, although the piece most usually associated with it was the same song for several years in the early 90s; "The Life Of Riley" by The Lightning Seeds. During the 1998-99 season, the programme used the theme from the film Malizie di Venere. In 2007–08, the theme was a non-vocal version of "That's No Way to Tell a Lie" by Manic Street Preachers vocalist James Dean Bradfield. For the 2008–09 season, "In This City" by Iglu & Hartly was the theme. For the 2009–10 season, "Science of Fear" by The Temper Trap was used. For the 2011–12 season, "Down with the Trumpets" by Rizzle Kicks is used. From the 2012-13 season onwards, The Road Goes On Forever" by High Contrast is used.
