What is Puskas Award?

Despite being a team sport, football has numerous individual honours. However, the Puskas Award stands in a different league from the Ballon d’Or, FIFA The Best, and the Golden Boot. The Golden Boot, which is given for the most goals in a season, and the Ballon d’Or and FIFA The Best, which are given to the most outstanding player in a season, allow teammates to help the winner. But the same is not the case with the Puskas Award. 

Goals are arguably the most exciting part of a football game. While a set-piece conversion or a tap-in holds equal value as a 30-yard screamer from the edge of the box, the thrill of the latter is on a whole different level. The FIFA Puskas Award honours the skill it takes to make the fans scream their lungs out for minutes after the goal is scored. 

List of Puskas Award Winnners

What is the Puskas Award?

FIFA used to reward the best player, the best goalkeeper and the best coaches of both genders until the late 2000s but the organisation felt the need to appreciate the strikers’ goals, especially the most spectacular goals scored in the season. The FIFA Puskas Award was added to the prizes up for grabs in 2009. It is a prize given to the player who scored the best goal in the previous season. 

The football world has seen a rise in the importance of acrobatic or insanely skilful goals since the introduction of the Puskas Award. Players are eager to soar in the air to head the ball in, pull off a bicycle kick out of nowhere and dribble past many to score a wonder goal. 

How is Puskas Award Winner Selected?

After its introduction in 2009, the winner of the FIFA Puskas Award was totally chosen by the fans. People could vote for their favorite goals among the nominations, and the player who received the most votes could take the trophy home. 

However, the procedure saw a huge change in 2018. The fan votes weren’t totally abolished but their role was restricted to picking the top 3 players and goals among the nominations. A team of experts pick the winner among the three. 

What are the Criteria for Puskas Award?

The Puskas Award can be won by any player from any country, any race, any gender, or any ethnicity. It aligns with FIFA’s values of equality and zero discrimination. Apart from this, there are two technical requirements for a goal to be eligible for the Puskas Award. The goal shouldn’t result from luck or mistakes like coming off a deflection to be a nominee for the award. There should be no foul play involved during or before the goal. 

How Did Puskas Award Get Its Name?

The Puskas Award is named after Hungarian Real Madrid striker Ferenc Puskas. The legendary goalscorer found the net 84 times in his 85 International appearances for Hungary. Puskas scored 514 goals in 529 matches at club level. He played a crucial role in leading Real Madrid to 10 league and 3 European championships. 

FIFA paid tribute to the IFFHS greatest top division scorer of the last century by naming the Best Goal of the Year award in Puskas’ name. 

Who Won the First Ever Puskas Award?

Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo was the first recipient of the prestigious Puskas Award. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner launched a bullet from 40 yards against Porto in the 2008-09 Champions League clash to clinch the award. Other notable big names like Neymar Jr, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Hueng Min Son also won the Puskas award later. 

Surprisingly, arguably the greatest footballer of all time, Lionel Messi, has never won the Puskas award despite earning the most nominations. The award has never been won by any player twice. 

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