A list in which Lionel Messi isn’t the favorite. FIFA have released their 10 nominees for the 2011 FIFA Puskas Award, with Wayne Rooney’s scissor kick goal in the Manchester derby standing out as the leading candidate. Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s wonder strike against Lecce, Neymar’s wizadry with the ball or maybe even Dejan Stankovic’s 50 meter volley could give him a fight.
Lionel Messi is also here, with his chip and score from the Champions League against Arsenal, but there’s no way he’ll win, or should win. If it was scored by an obscure name, this wouldn’t have been even considered. FIFA, as usual, gave their competitions a nice stage, with goals from the Women’s World Cup and the U-17 World Cup.
Benjamin de Ceular, Lokeren vs Club Brugge
A nice goal, nothing more. I guess the Belgian Pro League didn’t produce too many beauties this year.
Giovani dos Santos, Mexico vs United States
Giovani dos Santos loves to score at the Gold Cup, and especially against the USA. Two years after his goal in the 5-0 win over the Americans in New York, dos Santos came up with this brilliant curving chip to beat Howard and the USA again.
Julio Gomez, Mexico U-17 vs Germany U-17
FIFA love picking from their own competitions, like the U-17 World Cup, which Mexico won, with Julio Gomez winning the golden ball of the tournament. This bicycle kick is probably one of the main reasons he won the award.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Milan vs Lecce
My favorite goal of the year, although I’m not sure it will win. Brings out the best of Zlatan, and his ability to produce incredible shooting power from unexpected situations. Perfect goal.
Lisandro Lopez, Arsenal vs Olimpo
The Other Lisandro Lopez from the Other Arsenal scores another scissor kick goal straight from a corner kick, although in much more impressive fashion than the Mexican goal.
Lionel Messi, Barcelona vs Arsenal
FIFA couldn’t keep Messi out of this list, although I do think we’ve seen better this year, including from him. Maybe the occasion of the Champions League makes it a bit better. If it had been scored by a player not named Messi, we wouldn’t have been writing about it now.
Neymar, Santos vs Flamengo
The hottest new name to emerge from Brazil in a few years now, Neymar seems set on stardom, despite his difficulties with the national team. His skills at such a young age are phenomenal. This goal against Flamengo, the dribbling, the chip, the switching of feet. Incredibly difficult to finish the way he did.
Heather O’Reilly, United States vs Colombia
Like we said earlier, FIFA love showcasing their own competitions, this time pushing the Women’s World Cup into the spotlight, with a goal that’s OK, maybe pretty good, but nothing more, especially in terms of top 10 goals of the year.
Wayne Rooney, Manchester United vs Manchester City
The perfect bicycle kick and the most memorable goal of the last 12 months. Wayne Rooney times Nani’s cross perfectly, and send Old Trafford into a Volcanic eruption.
Dejan Stankovic, Inter Milan vs Schakle
Image: Source
It was an open goal, but it was also from 50 meters out, as Manuel Neuer was caught way outside his goal. Stankovic didn’t even wait for the ball to drop, just volleying it from the halfway line.
Our Prediction – Wayne Rooney will win this one. If one goal created a buzz this year, it was his. FIFA do like to go with big occasions for some goals, Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s goal was better in my opinion, but I’m OK with Rooney winning this one. I won’t be if it’s Lionel Messi’s goal. He’ll have another award to win pretty soon, which he actually deserves.
15 responses to “Puskas Award – FIFA’s 10 Nominees for Goal of the Year in 2011”
[…] Sportige […]
“Our Prediction – Wayne Rooney will win this one”, why? All Rooney did was wait for the ball. Messi on the other hand followed a created play by Iniesta and gave it his on finishing touch by creating another magical play to score. Dos Santos did a similar thing against the USA.
this is not a messi best goal.. i think messi best goal champions league goal barcelona vs real madrid semi final 2nd goal…………
Real Madrid vs Barcelona (0-2) 27/04/2011 uefa Champions League this match 2nd goal messi best goal 2011
[…] United's fierce rivals …Messi, Neymar, Rooney on FIFA best goal shortlistHindustan TimesPuskas Award – FIFA's 10 Nominees for Goal of the Year in 2011SportigeWayne Rooney on Puskas Award list for 2011's best goalBBC SportESPNall 210 news […]
Rooneys goal was good, but I dont think you can say that Hannah O’Reillys goal was just Ok or pretty good in terms of the top 10. Its on par with the Ibrahimovic’s goal, great strike of the ball. This was not messi’s finest goal, but the build up play in which before not shown in the video is why it makes it a sweet goal. Finally Stankovic’s goal was a great strike and good be in contention. Ibrahimovic for the win I reckon
I love Rooney but compared with all the other candidates, his goal is NOT the best. In my opinion, the best goals are the ones from Dos Santos and Neymar–as they showed mastery of the ball, as well as elegant finish.
The reasons these goals were chosen are always the same. They mix in goals from big stages and spectacular goals. The bicycle kicks were nice but they don’t deserve to win. With maybe the exception of Rooney’s goal. Although it was no different from Lopez’s goal. The difference from those to Gomez’s was that Gomez had just suffered a nasty head injury. But aside from that, Ibra’s goal was great, but something expected out of the size 14 foot. Messi’s and Neymar’s goals were skilled but again, common and underserving of any more recognition. O’Reiley’s goal was great. It’s difficult to make a shot like that in any game on any stage. Even in practice. Plus a nice goal that was produced by the women’s game, which isn’t as often. Top 2, O’Reily and Rooney. Rooney will win cuz he has a bigger name.
NEYMAR’s goal was crazy!! best goal of the year look at what he did great skill and smart
HANDS DOWN GIO’S GOAL WAS THE BEST ONE. THE WAY TIM HOWARD SWIPES AT THE BALL AND ISN’T ABLE TO GET IT AND THEN OF COURSE THE WAY GIO HANDLES THE BALL PLUS WHERE HE PUTS THE BALL AND THE DEFENDER CAN’T REACH IT. THAT GOAL WAS AMAZING ESPECIALLY THE REACTION THAT WAS SEEN FROM BOTH THE DEFENDER AND HOWARD. AND TO TOP IT OF IT WAS IN A FINAL TO SEAL A WIN.
Clearly stankovic should win this won. It’s clear that all the other goals are spectacular. But they dont really have an ‘amazing factor’ to them. Yes neymar’s goal was good but he only dribbled one guy and then shot. Stankovic’s goal is truly amazing and is the one with the greatest coefficient of difficulty
All the goals were great, but Dos Santos was definitely the best goal of the year. noone else couldve made that. lol.
the guy who wrote this is quite clearly either a united fan or clueless (or just simply in love with Rooney) . Rooney’s goal was class but shouldn’t win. You say that Messi’s goal wouldn’t make the list if it wasn’t a big name? Name a big name who would have the brains to dink it over the keeper in the first place. Having said that, that was nowhere near his best goal of the year, how the Madrid champions league goal didn’t make the list i’ll never know. Neymar or Dos Santos for me.
Probably Dos Santos for me, but Neymars is very close second and I mean very close, I would have voted for Messi, but I have no idea what moron nominates the goals… omitting Messi’s goal against Real Madrid is beyond me, if that one was one of the choices there wouldn’t be much doubt of who was going to take the prize
dos santos was the best goal….he takes on half of the team by himself and puts the ball where no one was able to stop it…it shows class, talent mastery of the ball an elegant finish, simply amazing. if he doesnt wins the award it will only be because someone else has a bigger name at at that moment