With 2021 nearly behind us, awards season is ramping up and FIFA have whet our appetites by releasing the shortlist for this year's Puskas Award.
The current holder of the gong is Son Heung-min, whose Diego Maradona-esque solo goal against Burnley back in December 2019 set tongues-a-wagging.
With the South Korean not nominated this time around, we are bound to see a new winner and competition is looking tight. Here are the 11 goals, ranked by how likely they are to win the award.
11. Daniela Sanchez vs San Luis
¡???????????????! ? ? @Dani_sv9
— LigaBBVAFemenil (@LigaBBVAFemenil) January 16, 2021
@GallosFemenil 3️⃣ - 2️⃣ @AtletiDeSLPFem #VamosPorEllas ⚽? #Guard1anes2021 pic.twitter.com/WUsRlGY97v
The perfect way to kick off the list. That area of the goal is known as the postage stamp.
10. Sandra Owusu Ansah vs Kumasi Sports
?? Sandra Owusu Ansah's goal against Kumasi Sports Academy Ladies in the Ghana Women's Premier League has been nominated for the 2021 FIFA Puskas Award.
— Owuraku Ampofo (@_owurakuampofo) November 29, 2021
Incredible achievement!pic.twitter.com/pXAPR5j0TI
What a moment for Sandra Owusu Ansah, who plays for the wonderfully-named Ghanaian side, Supreme Ladies FC.
She also boasts Fabulous Ladies FC among her former clubs.
9. Luis Diaz vs Colombia
#CopaAmérica ?
— Copa América (@CopaAmerica) June 24, 2021
¡QUÉ GOLAZO! Luis Díaz abrió el marcador con una hermosa pirueta para Colombia
GOOOLAÇO DA COLÔMBIA! Luis Díaz abre o placar para @FCFSeleccionCol
?? Brasil ? Colômbia ??#VibraElContinente #VibraOContinente pic.twitter.com/PgTJBD4Yk7
We've done the maths and it is scientifically impossible to hit a volley sweeter than this.
8. Gauthier Hein vs Chamois Niortais
? Quel bijou de @gauthier_hein !#CNFCAJA pic.twitter.com/UFIUkbfSwx
— Ligue 2 BKT (@Ligue2BKT) April 12, 2021
What a run.
Could Gauthier Hein follow in fellow nominee Riyad Mahrez's footsteps by breaking out of Ligue 2 and taking the world by storm? Probably not, no.
7. Riyad Mahrez vs Zimbabwe
Ladies and gentlemen .. Riyad Karim Mahrez.
— CAF (@CAF_Online) November 16, 2020
Exquisite. Elegant. Magnificent.#TotalAFCONQ2021 | @LesVerts | @Mahrez22 pic.twitter.com/0vdE4F50L8
This goal would be higher if it wasn't scored by a £60m winger against a team currently ranked 121st in the world.
6. Vangelis Pavlidis vs Fortuna Sittard
Incredible solo goal from Vangelis Pavlidis in the Eredivisie ?? pic.twitter.com/GEwyqjCymb
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) May 16, 2021
The classic: "if Lionel Messi would have scored that we would been calling it the best goal of all-time" goal.
5. Mehdi Taremi vs Chelsea
?? Mehdi Taremi's spectacular late strike ?@FCPorto | #UCL pic.twitter.com/bUL8xSQ57D
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 21, 2021
This goal meant absolutely nothing in the context of the game with Chelsea having already booked their place in the Champions League quarter finals.
Still, wasn't a bad hit was it?
4. Caroline Weir vs Manchester United
? WOW@itscarolineweir just loves a worldie in the Manchester derby!#BarclaysFAWSL #MCIMUN pic.twitter.com/EPJYlGpsfC
— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) February 12, 2021
Scoring a goal like this, in the Manchester derby no less.
Yeah, Caroline Weir is a bit special.
3. Valentino Lazaro vs Bayer Leverkusen
Scorpion kick! ?
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) November 8, 2020
Valentino Lazaro with a FIFA Puskás Award contender!
Sensational improvisation! ? pic.twitter.com/mJnHQ1bqNH
Never, ever underestimate how ridiculously hard this is to pull off.
2. Erik Lamela vs Arsenal
Erik Lamela's North London Derby Rabona has been nominated for the 2021 FIFA Puskas Award ?pic.twitter.com/RsJFn6IiVr
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) November 29, 2021
Lockdown football was, on the whole, a pretty bleak experience.
There were rare moments of joy though, such as this delicious effort from professional piss boiler Erik Lamela.
1. Patrik Schick vs Scotland
??? After almost 800k votes, Patrik Schick's long-range stunner vs Scotland is UEFA EURO 2020 Goal of the Tournament! ⚽️?#EUROGOTT @GazpromFootball #EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/qBENMPj25b
— European Qualifiers (@EURO2024) July 14, 2021
Conceding a goal of this quality in a crucial Euro 2020 group-stage clash is just soooooo Scotland.
Some say David Marshall is still stuck in that net to this day.
Source : 90min