According to FIFA’s own definition, the Puskas Award is presented each year by world football’s governing body to the author of the “best goal scored… regardless of championship, gender or nationality.” The only condition is that it must be captured on film.
However, it must be said that many of the world’s biggest competitions (the English Premier League, the Champions League, the World Cup) still tend to dominate the shortlist. Cristiano Ronaldo claimed the inaugural award in 2009 and since then many big names such as Neymar, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Olivier Giroud, Mohamed Salah and Son Heung-Min have been added to the roll of honour.
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The three finalists for the 2023 Puskas Award (the winner of which will be announced on January 15, 2024) come from elite professional leagues (the top tiers of men’s football in Brazil, England and Portugal), while there were three goals from the Women’s World Cup of 2023 on the initial list of 11 candidates. The most obscure competitions that were shortlisted were the AFC U-20 Asian Cup (an official FIFA-sanctioned youth tournament held across an entire continent) and the second tier of the Brazilian professional league pyramid.
That being said, the 2022 Puskas Prize had a refreshingly unconventional winner in Marcin Oleksy for his outrageous acrobatic effort earned in the PZU Amp Futbol Ekstraklasa, Poland’s premier amputee soccer division. Before Oleksy’s triumph, the “lowest” level competition to produce a Puskas Award winner was the Goiano Championship (Wendell Lira, 2015), a professional state cup organized by the Brazilian Football Confederation.
Of course, there are countless equally audacious wonder goals scored locally and non-league around the world every year, and that’s precisely why Danish sports technology company Veo aims to help shine a light on the best with its own competition. The People’s Puskas Award gives credit and attention to those virtuous fans ignored by FIFA by showcasing the most spectacular goals scored at all levels.
After highlighting eight goals in the inaugural edition of the 2022 Puskas del Pueblo Award, on this occasion the number of nominees has increased to 23 goals. The voting format has also been modified, with a community vote to be held via Veo’s dedicated People’s Puskas website. Voting will begin in early January with a first phase on the website dedicated to Puskas del Pueblo de Veo, reducing the nominees to 16 goals. They will then go through a series of World Cup-style polls on Veo’s social media channels to select an overall winner before the end of the month.
Now sit back, relax and bask in the glory of the 23 nominees.
Archie Brown (Punjab United)
On a windswept day in the south-east of England, Punjab United’s Brown scored in style by clearing a high, spinning corner with a carefree backheel volley from the edge of the area that deceived the Tonbridge Angels goalkeeper.
Matt Austin (Queen and Constitution FC)
After the ball bounced and bounced around the goal for what seemed like an eternity, it seemed like the chance to score was gone for Queen & Constitution FC. However, the half-clear landed at the feet of Austin, who raced down the right channel and toward the byline before unleashing a furious strike from a tight angle that flew into the far top corner.
Yasmin Williams (Thame United Women)
Receiving the ball from a throw-in, Williams turned inside, escaped his marker and unleashed a monstrous 35-yard effort that streaked across the night sky and tucked into the far corner of the Beaconsfield Town net. What an impressive way to score against your old club.
Timo Spennesberger (TSV 1882 Landsberg Fußball)
After a low, provocative cross from the right flank crossed the area and came out the other side, TSV tried their luck down the left. The ball quickly reached the feet of Spennesberger, who evaded a defender and sent a beautiful effort under the bar from 20 yards.
Mason Evans (Ynyshir Albion)
Starting with a goal kick, Albion quickly moved the ball down the right flank (including a lovely little backheel along the way) before a long cross towards the edge of the area found Evans. He finished the slick move in style by unleashing a powerful first-time volley past the goalkeeper.
Pedro Fernández (Barcelona U-15)
The Catalan tradition of technically proficient passing football championed by Johan Cruyff and Pep Guardiola seems in good hands, judging by this goal scored in the KDB Cup. A precise interplay sequence that stretched up and down the pitch and involved all 10 outfield players, ended with Fernández free to cleverly finish from close range after his teammates had devastated their opponents’ defence.
Ryan Dodd (Sandbach United Reserves)
After clearing a corner in their own penalty area, Cheadle Nomads had high hopes of launching a three-man counterattack, only to be stopped in their tracks by a stunning 50-yard screamer from Sandbach defender Dodd from inside the center circle.
Kevin Fransson (Lindome)
Taking advantage of a loose ball, Fransson ran into the thick of the action and fired a deflected shot that bounced off the far post and left the entire goal shaking as he ran away to celebrate.
Ahmed Doukhi (St Panteleimon FC)
An incisive attacking move from St Panteleimon put Doukhi in front of goal with two defenders to beat. Instead of rushing his shot, the icy striker delved into his box of tricks and produced a couple of ruthless cartwheels to clear his path before also deflecting past the goalkeeper and touching the unprotected net.
Madison Gallo (Long Island SC)
Long Island forward Gallo received the ball on the left side of the field, beat a defender and then found the far top corner with a perfectly timed shot from 20 yards out.
Ruben Lima (Buckley Town)
After taking possession just inside his own half, Lima outran two opponents down the right flank before beating a third with some elegant footwork as he closed in on goal. His incredible solo effort was rounded off with a masterpiece of finishing, launching the ball over the stranded goalkeeper with a cheeky rabona.
Leart Bilalli (SpVgg Altenerding)
Bilalli made his way through the center of the field and maintained his composure as he made two hats (delicately lifting the ball over an opponent’s head) to stump the same defender twice before slotting the ball past the onrushing goalkeeper from close range.
Abbey Stanton (Madison 56ers Girls Red)
Completely unfazed by the final whistle blowing on a neighboring pitch, Stanton executed a perfect Cruyff turn on the edge of the penalty area, spun on his left foot and fired an unstoppable shot into the top corner.
Flo Reinbrecht (SpVgg Erdweg)
Erdweg had a soft throw-in cleared by the opposition, but one of his players threw the ball towards the edge of the penalty area. Reinbrecht showed great improvisation and agility to receive the aerial ball with a backheel and launch a deft volley over the goalkeeper.
Brooks Barker (Utah Celtic)
A long, sought-after ball was sent deep into the box, where Barker managed to deflect it past the keeper with a textbook header. There were subtle shades of Robin van Persie at the 2014 World Cup, which is appropriate as the Dutchman’s goal was also shortlisted for the full Puskas Award that year.
Aaron Nash (Dursley City)
A determined run down the right flank by 16-year-old Haydn Evans resulted in a deep cross sent to the other side of the Lydney FC penalty area, where Nash was standing, ready and waiting, to unleash an outrageous acrobatic volley past the motionless goalkeeper. . Unsurprisingly, Dursley was moved to immortalize Nash’s effort as “one of the greatest ever scored” on his home ground.
Simon Miedinger (IFK Stocksund)
Miedinger became something of a viral sensation in Sweden when his spectacular goal against Dalkurd in the third division became popular among fans. And no wonder. The Stocksund player elegantly juggled the ball over an opponent and volleyed it with his right foot, despite being left-footed by trade.
Dylan Montgomery (San Francisco International)
The San Francisco international was milling around the penalty area after closing down a defensive clearance before the ball came loose into Montgomery’s path. He quickly passed a defender, switched feet and fired a left-footed shot into the top corner.
Lucas Stubbs (South Elmsall United Services FC)
Stubbs controlled a long pass on the edge of the area with a clever touch from the outside of his left boot before, without letting the ball bounce or looking at the goal, he flowed straight into a right scissor kick that sailed over the goalkeeper’s head. . .
Ahmed Setti (FC Allschwil)
Four touches were enough for FC Allschwil to carry the ball from their own area to the back of the opponent’s net with maximum efficiency. Setti’s fourth and final touch was an audacious 70-yard shot from inside his own half.
Aliyu Auwal (Shield City FC)
Playing on a dusty pitch in Nigeria, Auwal did not let the lack of fresh grass stop him from converting a Shield City set piece with a powerful 30-yard special that crashed in off the right post.
Zach Scott (Procision Oxford U19)
After taking possession on the edge of the Corinthians area, a series of short passes brought the ball to Scott on the left side of the area. Without missing a beat, the Procision Oxford striker lifted the ball over the goalkeeper with an extravagant rabona to seal the deal.
Jasa Drobjnak (NK Skofja Loka)
After gently introducing the ball into the NK Bilje penalty area, an impressively powerful player rabona A cross from the Skofja winger was sent to the far post, where Drobjnak was able to come in and add the finishing touch.
