The ten nominees for this year’s Puskas award have been revealed
Another year, another set of bangers. Goals from Ajara Nchout, Matheus Cunha, Andros Townsend, Fabio Quagliarella, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Amy Rodriguez, Billie Simpson, Daniel Zsori, Juan Fernando Quintero and of course, Lionel Messi.
We will all have a standout favourite on that list and we will all have one goal that we feel probably shouldn’t deserve to be there. My favourite of the bunch… well. I’m currently torn between Andros Townsend’s thumping run-up volley against Manchester City or Matheus Cunha’s impeccable roulette and dink over the keeper for RB Leipzig against Bayer Leverkusen.
Despite the (relatively) strong list of nominees, there are a few notable absences that will have thunderbastard connoisseurs the world over scratching their heads.
But then again, the Puskas Award has always been a bit of a joke. Sad! Here are 9 goals that were cruelly overlooked for the 2019 edition of the award.
1. Eric Bicfalvi
https://twitter.com/SmnLlyd5/status/1142537223906234375
I mean… come on. This is ridiculous. This is Bergkamp-esque. That first touch should win the award on its own.
If you want to read an interview with the man himself about the goal, please do head on over here. After you’ve watched the goal about 50 times in a row trying to work out exactly how he’s done it, of course.
2. John McGinn
Don’t let John McGinn’s modesty fool you – he hits balls like this all the time. His left foot is a phoenix-feathered wand. It could kill Voldemort. If you haven’t checked out the extended highlights of Aston Villa’s defeat to Bournemouth at the weekend (and let’s be honest, why would you), they are worth watching just for the fact that the man above has a relentless desire to score screamers every time he steps foot on a football pitch.
He goes extremely close on three separate occasions. Expect more of the same from John McGinn this season in the top flight and don’t be surprised if he finds himself on the Puskas list a few years down the line. (Also put him in your Fantasy team. You know you want to.)
3. Mason Bennett
Grow up, @FIFAcom. https://t.co/qEQvubaYh4 pic.twitter.com/JQO0ZSY2qx
— Derby County (@dcfcofficial) August 19, 2019
It’s not often I can see I agree with the official Derby County twitter account but in this instance, I am 100% behind them. Mason Bennett’s acrobatic flick-volley being left off the nominations list is a certified travesty. It is a war crime. Grow up, @FIFAcom.
4. Omar Al-Somah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NY4JiQL3BTw
Just a really good bicycle kick, isn’t it? And everybody loves a really good bicycle kick.
5. Gearoid Morrissey
Ignore the buildup, which is, yeah, very, very League of Ireland, this goal is class. Two sublime touches, one over the defender, and then bosh. In the words of Alan Partridge: “Bing bang stick it in thank you and goodnight.”
6. Eden Hazard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UvEfzWKBxU
There are exactly two other players that can score this goal: Lionel Messi, the greatest footballer of all time, and Hatem Ben Arfa when he fancies it. When he’s had Weetabix for breakfast. That’s it. Those are the only types of player.
The goals Ben Arfa scored against Blackburn and Bolton still keep me up at night. Honestly. I miss him.
7. Salem Al-Dawsari
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLXBu15wWTk
Back to the Saudi Pro League, now, as Salem Al-Dawsari skins a goalkeeper like you wouldn’t believe. This is basically a futsal goal. Firmly, firmly in the ‘things you love to see’ category.
8. Adam Reach
I’ll be honest: there are a good few Adam Reach goals that could have made this list. He has quite rightly earned his reputation as a banger merchant, smashing them in with regularity in the Championship on his left or right, half-volley or full.
This one, though, is surely the pick of the bunch as he collects Steven Fletcher nod down and dispatches it, first time, into the top corner from an absolutely ridiculous distance.
Bonus points, of course, for it coming against Leeds United and even more bonus points for confusing the goalkeeper, who didn’t even know where he was as it smashed off the inside of the post and flew into the opposite corner.
9. Alan Hutton
Lads, it’s Alan Hutton. It’s Alan Hutton dribbling all the way from his own half (he can’t dribble, he just tackles the ball forwards) and curling it into the corner on his left foot (he can’t shoot, he just tackles it at the goal). Let him have this one. If there was any justice in the world Alan Hutton would retire with the 2019 Puskas Award medal dangling around his neck. It was in the Second City derby. COME ON.
I don’t even know if you get a medal, but still. It’s a lovely, lovely image, isn’t it?
As for next year, well, we already have a front-runner thanks to this thunderbolt from Hlompho Kekana for Mamelodi Sundowns. Just give him the award now imho. Get it over with.
https://twitter.com/kylepicknell/status/1164092649156071430
