The three finalists for the FIFA Puskas award have been revealed. More emphasis is being placed on inclusivity in sport as for the first time, an amputee footballer is in the running for the main prize. Marcin Oleksy has made the shortlist along side Dimitri Payet and Richarlison for the prize.
Through out the years the award has recognised the most spectacular goal in men’s and women’s football so the winner will help prove as a good example of what people can achieve through sport, no matter what ability level they are. It is also a prize available to both male and female competitors so no one will be at risk of feeling discriminated against due to their gender, level of ability or associated health condition.
The winner will be announced at a ceremony in Paris on 27th February so lots will be happening in the build up to the main event.
Eleven goals were initially nominated for the Puskas awards with the shortlist narrowed down to the three finalists following a vote by fans on FIFA’s official website as well as a panel of experts. All the finalists have a vast array of experience which make them all worthy winners and eligible for the award.
The Finalists
Marcin Oleksy
Marcin is a Polish amputee footballer who has combined athleticism, imagination and ability. He has scored a range of different goals including one from a scissor kick which ignited a mass celebration amongst other players from Warta Poznan. TV footage of the astonishing strike has gone viral gaining him more fans as well as helping to spread the message of inclusivity round the world. Robert Lewandowski also posted a message of support on social media for his compatriot which may help give his campaign an extra push in order to succeed.
Oleksy’s goal in his words… “My teammate Da4wid [Novak] played the pass. When I saw him approaching the ball, I knew it was coming to me. I connected really cleanly. It was pure. When I hit it, I was following the ball all the way with my eyes and I saw it go into the corner of the net. I always wanted to score a beautiful goal. You could see how proud it made me after I scored. I stood up tall, I put my chest out. I was just so, so happy.”
Dimitri Payet
Marseille captain Dimitri Payet added another special strike to his burgeoning collection of magnificent long-range goals in this UEFA Conference League quarter-final encounter. Payet was positioned menacingly 25 yards from goal when he was spotted by corner-taker Cengiz Under. Under clipped a pass into Payet’s path, and the Frenchman duly showcased his immaculate technique to blast a trademark thunderbolt into the top corner of the net.
Payet’s goal in his words… “I took the shot in a casual manner, as if it was during training. I think this sense of relaxation made the movement fluid. I couldn’t have hit it better. It bounced before and it sat up perfectly for a left-footed shot. It was a difficult move but I did it without pressure and I think I scored because I was relaxed when I took the shot. I enjoyed it because it’s a goal that people will remember and it’s a goal that mattered.”
Richarlison de Andrade
Brazilian striker Richarlison won the ‘Qatar 2022 Goal of the Tournament’ award for this stunning effort in a 2-0 group-stage win over Serbia. The attacker, high on confidence having opened the scoring in the game, controlled Vinicius Junior’s driven pass before swivelling and sending an amazing acrobatic volley beyond goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic.
Richarlison’s goal in his words… “It was a very beautiful goal. I had scored one like that previously for Fluminense and a similar one for Everton. I had the chance to score a scissor-kick goal again and I think it was one of the most beautiful goals my career, because it was in the World Cup and in a game that was difficult for us.”
The FIFA Puskas award was first handed out in October 2009 by Fédération Internationale de Football Association. It was awarded to the best male and female judged to have scored the most aesthetically significant, or “most beautiful”, goal of the calendar year. The award was created as a significant honour in remembrance of Ferenc Puskas who was an outstanding striker for Real Madrid during the late 1950’s to late 1960’s. He was also a central member of the highly successful Hungarian side of the same era.
Ferenc Puskás is widely considered by many to be the most powerful and prolific forward European soccer produced in first-division football, and was honoured by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics in 1997 as the best top-tier goal scorer of the 20th century. He scored 999 goals in 533 games which helped to make him one of the most feared strikers by defences all around the world. He also scored 89 goals for the national team in 85 appearances.
Until 2018, the winner was decided completely based on voting by fans on FIFA’s official website. However, after a controversy in the 2018 award, FIFA changed the procedure. Now, the award is decided by pundits selected by FIFA, who will choose the winner based on the top three goals voted for by the public.
The time-frame for the first award was July 2008 to July 2009. The annual award was presented for the first time during the 2009 FIFA World Player of the Year Gala on 21 December in Switzerland, with Portuguese player Cristiano Ronaldo being the first prize winner.
To see all of the goals you can watch the clips by visiting FIFA’s Official Website but we are hopeful that this prestigious award could finally recognise the amazing achievements within disability football.
Good Luck Marcin Oleksy!