Ranking every FIFA Puskas Award winner from worst to best | OneFootball

Highlights

The Ballon d’Or remains the most prestigious individual accolade in football. In the last 15 years, the prize has been claimed by Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo on 13 occasions - with Luka Modric and Karim Benzema the two anomalies. But there’s another award dished out that the pair haven’t quite dominated. In fact, Messi hasn’t even got his hands on it - although Ronaldo did back in 2009.

Of course, we’re talking about the FIFA Puskas Award - the award named after Ferenc Puskas, the Hungary and Real Madrid legend. The award is given to the player who has scored the most aesthetically pleasing, “beautiful” goal of the calendar year. Of course, what’s “beautiful” to one person may not be “beautiful” to another. We’re not quite sure of the system used by FIFA but they *usually* come up with a worthy winner.

We've decided to rank every single Puskas Award winner going back to 2009. First, let's get familiar with the goals in the video below and once you are, we can begin.

15 Mohamed Salah - 2018

Liverpool (vs Everton)

After Mohamed Salah claimed the award for his curler against Everton, James Milner tweeted: “Congrats @MoSalah on your 7th best goal from last season winning goal of the year.” It was tongue-in-cheek but Milner wasn’t far wrong.

Salah’s effort was decent as he wriggled away from two Everton defenders before curling a beautiful effort into the top corner past Jordan Pickford. But the Egyptian had scored many goals like that during the 2017/18 season. Decent but worthy of winning the Puskas Award? No chance. Amazingly, it beat Cristiano Ronaldo’s incredible overhead kick for Real Madrid against Juventus.

14 Wendell Lira - 2015

Goianesia (vs Atletico-GO)

We all love an overhead kick, but Wendell Lira’s effort isn’t *that* good. The Brazilian scored his acrobatic effort for Goianésia in a 2–1 win over Atlético-GO, and it staggeringly received 46.7% of the total votes. In second place was Lionel Messi’s incredible solo goal against Athletic Bilbao. Sorry, we’re not having that.

It's a good goal, but Messi's effort against Athletic was one of the most impressive solo strikes we've seen in quite some time. It's absurd that it missed out on the Puskas Award here and, as a result, the legendary forward still hasn't won the accolade.

13 Miroslav Stoch - 2012

Fenerbahçe (vs Gençlerbirligi)

We all remember attempting a ’Scholesy’ when we were younger and instantly realising it’s a lot harder than it looks. But Miroslav Stoch nailed it back in 2012 when he side-footed a volley from a corner for Fenerbahçe vs Gençlerbirligi. It picked up a crazy 78% of the vote, but it's easy to see why.

After a corner was cleared to the star, he fired it first time and his fierce volley sailed into the top corner. No keeper in the world would have stopped it. Fair play, Stoch.

12 Mohd Faiz Subri - 2016

Penang (vs Pahang)

One of the most remarkable free-kicks we’ve ever seen. Mohd Faiz Subri struck an absolute howitzer in the Malaysian Super League clash between Penang and Pahang back in 2016. With the set piece situated near the touchline, he took aim and fired an incredible effort on goal that flew into the top corner, helped along the way with some quite absurd curve.

But does he really intend to put that much swerve on it that it ends up in the top corner? We're not so sure. We just think he’s hit it as hard as he could, and it somehow arrowed into the top corner. Incredible goal but we feel there might be a lack of technical ability involved here.

11 Cristiano Ronaldo - 2009

Manchester United (vs FC Porto)

Ronaldo has scored a few unbelievable goals during his unbelievable career. We’ve already mentioned how his overhead kick against Juventus was robbed of winning the award in 2017. This wasn’t quite as good technically, but a 40-yard screamer in the Champions League isn’t bad. Just look how hard he hits it!

The Manchester United icon only received 17.68% of the votes for this goal, with fourth place Eliran Atar picking up 13.36%. That’s how close it was. The Portuguese star probably could have won several Puskas awards throughout his career, but as things stand, this is still the only one under his belt and it was a superb strike.

10 Hamit Altintop - 2010

Turkey (vs Kazakhstan)

You know we were talking about doing a ‘Scholesy’? Well, maybe we should start calling it an ‘Altintopy.’ Ok, it doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, but Altintop’s goal for Turkey against Kazakhstan in a Euro 2012 qualifier was just stupendous. We're not sure we've seen too many instances of a ball hit sweeter than it was here.

The power and placement are second to none. This is the sort of strike that would be impressive even coming from the likes of Steven Gerrard or Scholes. Fair play Altintop.

9 Guilherme Madruga - 2023

Botafogo-SP (vs Novorizontino)

The audacity. The execution. Everything about Guilherme Madruga's acrobatic attempt is gracious in its own right - but to have it higher than some others in this list wouldn't make sense. A scramble just outside the 18-yard box ensued before the Brazilian - not typically renowned for his goalscoring ability - produced an exquisite overhead kick. The keeper? Well, he had no chance.

It was one of those that would've only been kept out by 1% of goalkeepers in their pomp. Puskas Award voters seem to be in awe of overhead kicks given they feature so regularly - and this year it is no different. Their undying love for an authentic - yet superbly struck - acrobatic attempt was out in full force once again in 2023, giving the award to Madruga for his goal against Novorizontino. Julio Enciso and Nuno Santos may feel hard done by - but, sometimes, you just have to tip your hat.

8 James Rodriguez - 2014

Colombia (vs Uruguay)

Imagine scoring a Puskas Award-winning goal in a World Cup knockout tie. James Rodriguez was ridiculously good at the 2014 World Cup and earned himself a lucrative move to Real Madrid. He was on top of the world and that was exemplified with this simply magnificent strike.

He chests the ball down with his back to goal, swivels and smashes an unstoppable volley off the underside of the crossbar as he helps his Colombian side beat Uruguay. Simply stunning. The power, the control and the technique are all outrageous. No 'keeper in the world was saving that.

7 Daniel Zsori - 2019

Debrecen (vs Ferencvaros)

Imagine scoring on your senior debut. Imagine scoring a 93rd-minute winner on your senior debut. Imagine scoring a 93rd-winner against the league leaders on your senior debut. Imagine scoring an outrageous overhead kick in the 93rd minute against the league leaders on your senior debut.

Completed it, mate. Debrecen’s Daniel Zsori did that against Ferencvaros in the Hungarian top flight and started his senior career in the most emphatic fashion possible. Talk about making the right first impression. His effort edged out Lionel Messi’s lovely dink against Real Betis, and while it's unfortunate that the Argentine hasn't won the Puskas award yet, there's no way he was beating Zsori here and rightfully so.

6 Marcin Oleksy - 2022

Warta Poznan (vs Stal Rzeszow)

What's better than an overhead kick? Pulling off an overhead kick despite the fact you only have one leg. This next entry is unlike any other goal to win the Puskas award and is the most recent victor. Marcin Oleksy is an amputee footballer and plays for Warta Poznan and the Poland national amputee team.

The games are played with the footballers using crutches to support them as they use their only leg to kick the football and somehow that didn't stop Oleksy from pulling off an outrageous overhead kick. He took to the sky with an incredible effort, and it's proof that if you're prepared to put in the effort and dedication, there's no amount of setbacks that can stop you from achieving your dreams.

5 Erik Lamela - 2021

Tottenham (vs Arsenal)

Putting your team in front against their biggest rivals is always going to feel good, but doing it in the manner in which Erik Lamela did? Well, that's just on another level. The Argentine scored one of the smoothest goals we've seen in quite some time. After a ball was played across the Arsenal box to him, he wasted no time, hitting a rabona flick first time that curled right into the bottom right corner.

The way the ball glided into the goal was impressive enough, but the decision-making and Lamela reacting so quickly to pull off such an incredible piece of skill takes it to a whole other level. Unfortunately, things didn't end too swimmingly on the day, with the Gunners coming back to win the game 2-1 and the Argentine was sent off in the second half, but at least he has this goal to slightly ease the pain a little.

4 Neymar - 2011

Santos (vs Flamengo)

Stop it, Neymar. Back in his Santos days, there had never been a prospect quite as promising as Neymar. The sky was seemingly the limit for the Brazilian and he showed that when he decided to have a bit of fun during a match against Flamengo - a match Santos actually lost 5-4.

After picking the ball up on the touchline, he beats two opponents with outrageous skill. He then plays a one-two with a teammate before beating the last defender with the most amazing piece of trickery that we can’t even begin to describe. And then there’s the finish with the outside of his foot. It's a sublime solo effort in the spirit of a Diego Maradona or Messi goal but injected with all the skill and stylish showboating that we've come to expect from Neymar over the years. What isn't there to love?

3 Son Heung-min - 2020

Tottenham (vs Burnley)

From one incredible solo goal to another, Tottenham beat Burnley 5-0 in the Premier League on the day, but the highlight of the game came from Son Heung-min's absurd strike that saw him pick the ball up on the edge of his own box and dribble the entire length of the pitch before slotting it home.

His blistering pace was on full display as he drove through the heart of the pitch and no Burnley player could even get close to him. He cut through the Clarets like a hot knife through butter and capped it off with the composed finish. It was a fantastic solo effort that will go down as one of the best goals in Son's career.

2 Olivier Giroud - 2017

Arsenal (vs Crystal Palace)

Yes, we really are putting a scorpion kick that goes in off the underside of the crossbar in second place. The fact that Henrikh Mkhitaryan did something very similar a week before does throw a bit of shade on it, in fairness.

Olivier Giroud to flick the ball off his heel towards goal, even he admitted there was luck involved. You do get the impression he hoped for the best but it just so happened that the best possible outcome occurred when he pulled off the miraculous in Arsenal's meeting with Crystal Palace. Considering just how good this goal was, you'd have to expect it would take something special to keep it out of first place, right? Correct.

1 Zlatan Ibrahimovic - 2013

Sweden (vs England)

The greatest Puskas Award winner ever. To be fair, how can you argue with a 30-yard overhead kick being No.1? Ok, England goalkeeper Joe Hart made a right mess of things but 99.9% of players would have brought the ball down and attempted a ‘normal’ shot. But not Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He didn’t think twice about producing a stunning overhead kick which sailed over Hart and the England defence into the back of the net for his fourth goal of the game.

Not only was the strike just out of this world breathtaking, but it also perfectly captured the type of player Zlatan was. He loved putting on a show and this strike is one that will be remembered fondly whenever he's brought up. He might have retired from football now, but with a goal like this, he won't be forgotten anytime soon.