Lazaro’s scorpion kick goal nominated for the Puskas Award

Valentino Lazaro has been nominated for FIFA’s Puskas Award for his scorpion kick goal against Bayer Leverkusen in November 2020. The global award is given to the player judged to have scored the best goal of the year.

Around this time last year, Valentino Lazaro (now playing for Benfica) scored a stunning goal for the Foals. In the fourth minute of added time against Leverkusen, Lazaro pulled off a scorpion kick to redirect Patrick Herrmann’s cross into the back of the net. “I was already falling and just tried to hit the ball with my heel. The fact that I managed to hit it so perfectly and put it in the back of the net is definitely something special,” said Lazaro. The goal was voted Sportschau’s Goal of the Year in 2020.

Now, Lazaro could also take home the honour of having scored the world’s best goal last year. FIFA have included the former Foal on their 11-player shortlist for the Puskas Award. The winner will be chosen by an international jury made up of FIFA Legends as well as registered fans from around the world on FIFA.com. Votes from both groups are weighted equally. The voting will close on 17th December at 23:59 CET. The award will be given out on 17th January 2022 in Zürich.

The other nominees for the award are: Patrik Schick (Czech Republic vs. Scotland in the group stage of EURO 2020), Luis Diaz (Colombia vs. Brazil at the Copa America), Gauthier Hein (France, in a second-division game between Chamois and Auxerre), Erik Lamela (Argentina, for Tottenham vs. Arsenal), Riyad Mahrez (Algeria vs. Zimbabwe in an AFCON qualifier), Sandra Owusu-Ansah (Ghana, in a game between Kumasi and Supreme FC), Vangelis Pavlidis (Greece, in an Eredivisie match between Willem II Tilburg and Fortuna Sittard), Daniela Sanchez (Mexico, in a match between Queretaro FC and Atletico de San Luis), Mehdi Taremi (Iran, Chelsea vs. Porto) and Caroline Weir (Scotland, for Manchester City vs. Manchester United).

Rewatch Valentino Lazaro's scorpion kick below.