On Monday, FIFA announced the ten candidates for the 2016 Puskás Award, given to the player with the best goal of the year.
Two Brazilians are among the ten competitors: Corinthians" Marlone, for the volley against Cobresal, in the Copa Libertadores, and Neymar, of Barcelona, for his famous goal against Villarreal in the Liga. Argentina captain Lionel Messi is also on the list for his stunning free-kick goal, against the United States in the Copa América Centenário. The prize will be awarded during ‘The Best FIFA Football Awards" ceremony on January 9, 2017 in Zurich, Switzerland. The vote is open to the public on the organization"s website. On December 2, the list will be reduced to three finalists.
According to a statement on the website, a panel with former Argentine striker Gabriel Batistuta, Dutchman Marco van Basten and a Brazilian helped to choose the goals. FIFA only considered the goals scored between 30 September 2015 and 30 September 2016, which explains, for example, the absence of Arsenal"s Mesut Özil, who scored an outstanding goal against Ludogorets in the UEFA Champions League. And also a sublime individual goal from West Ham"s French attacking midfielder Payet, in the Premier League.
This is the eighth edition of the Puskás Award, created in honor of Ferenc Puskás, a former Hungarian player and Real Madrid striker in the 50s and 60s. The previous winners were: Cristiano Ronaldo [2009], Hamit Altıntop [2010], Neymar [2011], Miroslav Stoch [2012], Zlatan Ibrahimović [2013], James Rodríguez [2014] and Wendell Lira [2015].
On Monday, FIFA announced the ten candidates for the 2016 Puskás Award, given to the player with the best goal of the year.
Two Brazilians are among the ten competitors: Corinthians" Marlone, for the volley against Cobresal, in the Copa Libertadores, and Neymar, of Barcelona, for his famous goal against Villarreal in the Liga. Argentina captain Lionel Messi is also on the list for his stunning free-kick goal, against the United States in the Copa América Centenário. The prize will be awarded during ‘The Best FIFA Football Awards" ceremony on January 9, 2017 in Zurich, Switzerland. The vote is open to the public on the organization"s website. On December 2, the list will be reduced to three finalists.
According to a statement on the website, a panel with former Argentine striker Gabriel Batistuta, Dutchman Marco van Basten and a Brazilian helped to choose the goals. FIFA only considered the goals scored between 30 September 2015 and 30 September 2016, which explains, for example, the absence of Arsenal"s Mesut Özil, who scored an outstanding goal against Ludogorets in the UEFA Champions League. And also a sublime individual goal from West Ham"s French attacking midfielder Payet, in the Premier League.
This is the eighth edition of the Puskás Award, created in honor of Ferenc Puskás, a former Hungarian player and Real Madrid striker in the 50s and 60s. The previous winners were: Cristiano Ronaldo [2009], Hamit Altıntop [2010], Neymar [2011], Miroslav Stoch [2012], Zlatan Ibrahimović [2013], James Rodríguez [2014] and Wendell Lira [2015].
