FIFA Fair Play award: Cosmin Matei's incredible sportsmanship is a 2022 contender | OneFootball

A Romanian footballer refused to score after seeing the opposition goalkeeper was injured in an incredible act of sportsmanship.

Sepsi OSK hosted Petrolul Ploiesti in the Liga 1 on Friday evening.

The home side took an early lead when Mario Rondon notched the opener in the 16th minute.

Cosmin Matei then had a golden opportunity to double his side’s lead at the end of the first half.

Petrolul’s goalkeeper, collided with a Sepsi player inside the box, giving Matei an open goal.

But the 31-year-old decided he wasn’t going to put the ball in the back of the net.

Seeing Octavian Vâlceanu on the ground and in some pain, Matei kicked the ball out of play so he could receive treatment.

It was a remarkable bit of sportsmanship and you can view it below…

Matei deserves a lot of credit. He could easily have scored but thought it would not be the right thing to do.

Fortunately, Vâlceanu was able to continue.

Matei was praised by Romanian pundits on Digi Sport’s Fotbal Club show.

“Very nice gesture, extraordinary. Very cool what he did,” Narcis Răducan said.

While Helmuth Duckadam commented: “Rarely, rarely do you see such a gesture. I didn’t believe it!”

Matei’s decision to put the ball out of play did not prove costly as Sepsi went on to win 2-0.

Matei spoke to the media after the game where he commented on his sportsmanship.

“That’s how I felt, it was my decision and I believe that football rewards you if you are fair with it. All that matters is that we won,” he said, per digisport.

Matei’s manager, Cristiano Bergodi, was fuming on the sidelines after seeing Matei refuse the chance to make it 2-0 to his side.

But Matei was not concerned about his manager’s actions after the game.

“It was probably adrenaline, but in the end everyone was happy, because it turned out as we planned,” he said when asked about his manager’s reaction.

You may not see a better act of sportsmanship this season.

Paolo Di Canio was given the FIFA Fair Play award for a very similar act of sportsmanship in 2001.

Matei surely has to be in the running to win the award this year.