Best: Overall

Rating: 10/10

These Forza UPVC goals are incredibly sturdy. They are not going anywhere – and if you want a goal to sit in your garden for a few years this is probably the one for you. The poles lock together and the UPVC material is weatherproof – no rust to worry about in our damp British climate! The UV stabilised net attaches to the goal using clips – from experience, the clips do eventually become a little brittle and will need replacing.

That being said, we’ve had our existing Forza goal for the past five years and this has only just happened, and they only cost a few quid to replace. And our net is still in decent condition after five summers and winters. The goal also comes with heavy-duty pegs to keep the goal in place. They come in a variety of sizes to suit all ages and garden sizes. If you want a goal to last for years, this is the one for you.

Best: Pop-up goal for serious players

Rating: 10/10

This goal has a lot going for it – they are incredibly well made but are also used by top-flight team academies across the UK and Europe. And it’s easy to see why. The frame folds out and the goal net is zipped on, which is great for quick assembly. The XL is a new size and has an improved clip, which features a push button to pop the two sides open. It also comes with a shoulder strap, so you can sling it across your shoulders to walk to the park. It easily slips into a car boot as well.

When we got it out of the box, we did look for ground pegs – which most goals come with and were surprised to find there were none. But testing it out – and we got a 15-year-old striker to put it to the test – it proved remarkably stable. We also tried out the larger size 180x90 (£159.99, Bazookagoal.com), which has a new feature – a folding crossbar, which makes it even easier to carry. An older teenager or adult could probably sling this over their shoulder for a short bike ride to the park.

Best: For quick target practice

Rating: 7/10

The quickest to put up of all the goals we tested, this goal is ready to go right away. Surprisingly strong, it’s great for practising your penalty shot placement. Aimed at kids aged five to eight, older kids and teens will no doubt also enjoy practising their precision shots. Flip it one way and it’s a target shot goal, flip it the other way and it’s a goal. Lightweight, it twists into a circle and fits into its own circular flat bag, making it super portable. With pegs included, this compact (106 x 76cm) goal is ideal for the beach or campsite.

Best: For 5-8-year-olds

Rating: 9/10

Designed to go up in the garden and stay there, this steel-framed goal with its rust-resistant paint finish is simple to put together, although we found the net a little fiddly to fix onto the frame. But this is a goal that is not going anywhere, so you only need to do this once. Its black frame feels like it will stand the test of time, and the yellow net stands out, to avoid anyone running into it by accident. A good solid football goal for budding Young Lions, this should survive years of Euro and World Cup re-enactments. It also comes in 7ft and 8ft sizes.

Best: For impromptu games

Rating: 8/10

This pop-up goal was quick and easy to put together, with the same kind of flexible poles that you find in tents. We loved that the net was marked left and right – very useful for those of us who find assembling this kind of thing rather challenging. Its steel and fibreglass construction makes it pretty sturdy for a goal that only takes a few minutes to put up.

It has a single crossbar, so you don’t get the top corners that you do on some other goals. But you need to watch you don’t lose the net hooks, which slip over the poles. The whole thing comes in a very sturdy, Velcro-sealed bag for ease of portability, and stood up well to our striker’s powerful shots. It’s a great size for leaving in the car boot for impromptu games when out and about, or could easily be carried to the park.

Best: For older kids

Rating: 9/10

The blurb on the Networld website says this pop-up goal can be put up in three minutes – and once you’ve worked it out for the first time, that is certainly true. We liked that the base comes in one piece, with steel poles that slide out and lock – so there’s less chance of losing the odd pole. It also makes the whole construction pretty sturdy. The net is attached to two pairs of flexible poles and at first sight, it looks rather flimsy, but it is actually surprisingly strong because the poles flex when the ball is booted into the back of the net. It comes with a handy bag to pack it away and transport – and four pegs for additional support.

Best: For a smaller garden

Rating: 9/10

The solid, but lightweight poles of this aluminium and steel goal click together easily and have a quality feel about them – especially for the price. What we were really impressed by were the integral clips on the poles for the net. Anyone who has had a few years of garden goal owning experience will know that the usual clips that hold the goal together have a terrible habit of getting broken or lost, so this is a real bonus. There are two metal brackets that slot into each corner to hold the goal in a proper square shape. The net was a bit fiddly to fit, and we found we had to unhook and re-hook it to get it to fit correctly, but once on it was great – and very secure.

This is the sort of goal you’ll leave up in the garden, so you don’t really need to worry about fitting it over and over again. Its lightweight which means it’s easy to move around the garden if you want to mow the grass or have a barbecue. Pegs are included to keep it secure.

Best: For the beach

Rating: 8/10

We weren’t expecting much from an inflatable goal, having encountered some pretty poor ones in the past, but Decathlon has taken it up a notch. The material is solid and sturdy – the inflated poles feel a little like those on a tent – and doesn’t feel like something that is going to burst or pop on its first trip out. You do have to have a pump to blow it up (the valve is like the sort you find on an airbed) – we couldn’t get it solid enough just by blowing by mouth, so that’s something else you have to carry.

We love that the bag is attached as part of the design so that it never gets lost. The goal comes with pegs and side pockets (they suggest you pop in water bottles or similar to give it a bit more weight). We think it’s a great choice for packing up to take to the beach – and as it only measures 700 x 950mm it won’t take up lots of room.

Best: Lightweight option

Rating: 6/10

This goal is incredibly quick to pop up and is super lightweight. It comes with pegs to keep it in place, and is best for small children – probably up to about eight, depending on how powerful their shot is! The lightweight and ease of erection make it ideal for occasional use when on holiday, so it’s a shame it doesn’t come with a bag for easy transportation.