FIFA Puskás Award 2019

What is FIFA Puskás Award?

FIFA Puskás Award has been established in 2009 as a reward, which is awarded to a football player (male or female) who scored the best, most aesthetical or most beautiful goal of the year. The winner of the award is as it has become tradition picked by the fans out of 10 nominees presented by FIFA, who gathers 10 of the best and most memorable goals of the calendar year.

the fifa puskas award 2019 - logo
Image source: FIFA.com

When was Puskás Award started?

FIFA Puskás Award has first been introduced on October 20, 2009, by FIFA at the behest of then-president Sepp Blatter. The whole idea behind the Puskás Award was to award the player who scored the most beautiful goal of the calendar year, which due to its subjectivity is decided based on fan votes, who decide which out of 10 nominees impressed them the most with his/her goal.

Why is it called Puskás Award?

While created to award aesthetic goals, FIFA Puskás Award was most of all created to honour former Hungarian and Real Madrid striker Ferenc Puskás, who has made a name for himself in the late 1950s and 1960s as one of the best players in the world and a key member of highly successful Hungarian side. Widely regarded as one of the best, most powerful and most prolific forwards in the history of the sport, Ferenc Puskás also held onto a once world record of 84 goals in 85 internationals on top of a record 512 goals in 528 matches. And while he is not among us anymore, his legend lives on with the Puskás Award.

Who won the first Puskás Award?

The annual Puskás Award was presented first during 2009 FIFA World Player of the Year when it was Cristiano Ronaldo who won with his goal against Porto in 2008/09 UEFA Champions League.

In the years that followed, nine more Puskás Awards were given away, with no player up to date that won it more than once. Furthermore, out of nine different countries that won Puskás Award, only Brazil won it more than once (2011, 2015). That, however, could change this year, should Zlatan Ibrahimovic emerge victorious with his goal for LA Galaxy against Toronto FC. The Swedish striker won his first Puskás Award in 2013, with his incredible goal against England in a friendly match, when he shook the world with a scissor kick from an incredible range.

While being nominated with an incredible goal once more, Ibrahimovic also became the oldest nominee in the history of Puskás Awards and already holds the title of the oldest winner, when he won in 2013 at the age of 31. While he could further “improve” that record, there are nine other nominees who will stand in his way with their own impressive goals.

FIFA Puskás Award 2019 Nominees and the Goals

Let’s check the nominees and the goals:

Nominees and Goals:
  1. Matheus Cunda (BRA); Bayer Leverkusen v RB Leipzig
2. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (SWE); Toronto FC v LA Galaxy

3. Lionel Messi (ARG); Real Betis v FC Barcelona

4. Ajara Nchout (CMR); Cameroon v New Zealand

5. Fabio Quagliarella (ITA); Sampdoria vs Napoli

6. Juan Fernando Quintero (COL); River Plate v Racing Club

7. Amy Rodriguez (USA); Utah Royals v Sky Blue FC

8. Billie Simpson (NIR); Sion Swifts Ladies FC v Cliftonville Ladies FC

 

9. Andros Townsend (ENG); Manchester City v Crystal Palace

 

10. Dániel Zsóri (HUN); Debrecen FC v Ferencváros TC

How do you vote for the Puskás Award 2019?

The voting has been opened on the official FIFA website and will remain open until Sunday, September 1, midnight CEST. After that, the top three goals selected by fans will be then put in front of FIFA legends, who will decide which of the three decided to win the Puskás Award.

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