The 2020 FIFA Puskas Award nominations revealed

2:33pm on Wednesday 25th November 2020
By Martin Macdonald

The nominations for the prestigious Puskas Award for the best goal scored over the past year are in, with Tottenham's Heung min-Son thought to be a leading contender.

Last year in 2019, the award was given to Daniel Zsori for his goal for Debrecen against Ferencvaros in the 2018–19 Nemzeti Bajnoksag I.

Over the years, various superstars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Mohamed Salah, and Neymar have won the award.

2020 Puskas award nominations

Shirley Cruz

Costa Rica v Panama - 28 Jan 2020

This. Is. Special. 💥

Shirley Cruz got Costa Rica's @Concacaf Olympic qualifying run off to a flying start with an absolute worldie! 🇨🇷 pic.twitter.com/7HWbhWE9XF
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) January 29, 2020

Cruz waits patiently at the back post for a corner kick to arrive before moving into a more central area, catching the set-piece out of the air with a magnificent first-time right-footed volley into the left corner.

Giorgian De Arrascaeta

Ceara v Flamengo - 25 Aug 2019

📂documentos
└📁pornô
└📁 pornô brabo
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└ 📁 golaço de bicicleta do arrascaeta.
.#BrasileirãoNoEI pic.twitter.com/79MAdpcT4B
— Esporte Interativo (de 🏠) (@Esp_Interativo) August 26, 2019

A teasing cross is floated into the box and, despite actually moving away from goal, De Arrascaeta displays outrageous athleticism to leap into the air and loop a bicycle kick over the goalkeeper into the top corner.

Jordan Flores

Shamrock Rovers v Dundalk - 28 Feb 2020

Shamrock Rovers 1-1 Dundalk - Wow! Jordan Flores scores a goal of the season contender to level things at Tallaght. You'll be watching this goal for years to come. #rtesocer pic.twitter.com/tIhtCrKfml
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) February 28, 2020

A Dundalk corner-kick is drilled over everyone to the far side of the box. Flores somehow manages to lift his boot to an incredible height to screw a perfect first-time volley into the top right corner.

Andre-Pierre Gignac

Tigres v Pumas - 1 March 2020

Por goles como este es que uno se enamoró del fútbol.

Agradecido por la oportunidad de haber transmitido este gol de Gignac. pic.twitter.com/2UVGnAX83D
— Paco Villa (@Paco_Villa_) March 1, 2020

Gignac is no stranger to outrageous goals, and this one is up there with his best as he stands at the edge of the box to receive a fizzed pass into his midriff. Instead of taking the touch, he stoops low to catch a ridiculous bicycle kick into the far right corner.

Sophie Ingle

Arsenal v Chelsea - 19 Jan 2020

🔥 @sophieingle01 doesn't score tap ins

Breathtaking game so far...#ARSCHE #BarclaysFAWSL pic.twitter.com/iBqXw3XBJS
— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) January 19, 2020

Ingle encourages her team-mate to move out of the way, allowing the ball to drop on the edge of the box before dipping a cracking left-footed volley into the top right corner.

Zlatko Junuzovic

Rapid Vienna v Red Bull Salzburg - 24 June 2020

Goal of the year! 🤯#SCRRBS #Junuzovic pic.twitter.com/Y6n8MFJvNJ
— FC Red Bull Salzburg EN (@FCRBS_en) June 25, 2020

Junuzovic hangs around outside the box during a set-piece and then gets involved to meet the ball with a thunderous volley which nearly breaks the woodwork in half as his strike cannons in off the crossbar.

Hlompho Kekana

Mamelodi Sundowns v Cape Town City - 26 Aug 2019

THIXO 🙆‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/K0VMeA9FsG
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) August 20, 2019

Kekana sidesteps an opponent in the middle of the pitch before unleashing a thunderbolt of a strike at goal which smashes in off the inside of the post.

Leonel Quinonez

Universidad Catolica v CSD Macara - 19 Aug 2019

GOLAZO !!!
Leonel Quiñonez de @Macara_Oficial
Fijo para el premio Puskas
Católica 0 - 1Marcará pic.twitter.com/xgs5HToUKP
— Gustavo Velasco (@El_Guss1) August 20, 2019

Quinonez opportunistically spots the opposition goalkeeper off his line and, from inside his own half, launches a free-kick high up the pitch which ends up nestling into the top corner.

Heung-min Son

Tottenham v Burnley - 7 Dec 2019

𝗩𝗢𝗧𝗘 𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗡𝗬! 🤩 🇰🇷 https://t.co/mPz07Hfvd9 pic.twitter.com/93qxY2faYE
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 25, 2020

Son collects possession just outside his own box before embarking on a remarkable run the length of the pitch. He displays incredible strength, speed, and control of the ball to cut through the whole Burnley team, before calmly finishing in the corner.

Luis Suarez

Barcelona v Mallorca - 7 Dec 2019

🤤 Oh my word, Luis Suarez!

🔥 Barca are RAMPANT!

🐐 It's 4-1 at HT as Leo Messi goal also got his second and Barca's third pic.twitter.com/gTxk2C6TmE
— Premier Sports 📺 (@PremierSportsTV) December 7, 2019

Suarez runs in behind the Mallorca defence to latch on to a through pass. He actually finds himself running away from goal, but decides to catch everyone out, including the opposition keeper, with a ridiculous backheel into the ground which ends up bouncing into the far corner.

Caroline Weir

Man City v Man Utd - 7 Sept 2019

What a strike! ☄️

Caroline Weir with a stunning first goal in the Manchester derby! pic.twitter.com/SRsgorTuN0
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) September 7, 2019

With the match balanced at 0-0, the ball breaks to Weir on the left flank. She proceeds to set herself up with a touch into a more central area before narrowing a left-footed strike across the box into the top right corner.