Image Credits:: Getty Images
Manchester United wonderkid Alejandro Garnacho is already wracking up the awards, now adding the FIFA Puskas Award to his cabinet.
The Puskas Award was established in 2009 as an award for the “most beautiful” goal in world football, issued by the president of FIFA. Prior to 2018, this award was voted for purely by fans, however after a contentious award in 2018, a panel of legends are now also consulted.
The first award went to Cristiano Ronaldo for his remarkable long-range bicycle kick for Manchester United against Porto in the Champions League.
Since then, huge names in world football have won, with the likes of Neymar, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Oliver Giroud, Mohamed Salah and Son Heung-Min featuring in the list. However, more unknown players like Miroslav Stoch, Wendell Lira, Mohd Faiz Subri and Daniel Zsori have also made the list, showing it’s not just reserved for the big names of football.
Now Alejandro Garnacho joins Ronaldo as only the second United player to ever win the award.
The Argentine winger has been given the coveted award for his stunning bicycle kick against Everton in their 3-0 win over the toffees.
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Alejandro Garnacho and his bicycle kick against Everton
At the time the goal was compared to Ronaldo’s which won him the award 14 years before, however, now the goal has been officially recognised in the same category as the “most beautiful goal” of the year.
To relive the goal, Diogo Dalot swung in a remarkable cross from the left flank, arching away from the box. Racing out of the box from the far post, Garnacho took to the air, momentum taking him away from the goal, connecting with a bicycle kick, somehow firing the ball back towards the goal, across the box to the top right-hand corner, leaving Jordan Pickford completely stunned.
Speaking to FIFA, Garnacho discussed the goal, commenting: “I had tried this technique so many times in training.”
He continued: “I thought, ‘This is the time to do it, to see what happens.’ And I scored, so it was perfect!
“After the goal, my teammates had their hands on their heads. They were like, ‘How did you do this?”
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