Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale has been nominated for the Puskas award. Here’s a look at which goal it was and who he’s going up against.
Real Madrid packs a heap of incredible talent, talent that just can’t stop winning. Not only has the team been successful from a collective standpoint but they are racking up the awards from all their blood, sweat and tears from last season. Another Champions League victory has put Madrid’s players in the spotlight once again.
In August we saw Keylor Navas, Sergio Ramos and Luka Modric all win awards at the UEFA Best awards for being dominant in their respective positions. Luka Modric picked up the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award and the FIFA Golden Ball award at the World Cup earlier this summer. The Croatian is also a finalist for the Ballon d’Or.
Puskas Award
What is the Puskas award, you may be asking? Many know it as the award for the footballer who scores the best goal. While that is true there is more to the store, something that Real Madrid fans should know about.
The formal name of the award is the FIFA Puskas Award which was established on October 20, 2009. It was founded by the President of the organization at the time, Sepp Blatter. The award can be awarded to either a male or female with the key factor being that it is a beautiful goal.
The award is named after former Real Madrid striker Ferenc Puskas, who played for Real in the late 1950’s and into the 1960’s. Puskas was also a member of the infamous Hungarian national team and was coined as one of the most prolific European strikers. Ferenc scored 84 goals in 85 international matches and 512 goals in 528 games, over the course of his career.
Gareth Bale
This time it’s Gareth Bale who’s getting some deserved credit for his heroics in the Champions League. Coming on as a substitute the Welshman scored two incredible goals. The game quickly turned on its head after he beat Liverpool goalkeeper Lloris Karius. Bale scored a wild knuckleball from 25 plus yards and a bicycle kick almost a mirror image of Cristiano Ronaldo’s.
🚲⚽💥 @GarethBale11’s overhead kick in the Champions League final has been nominated for the FIFA Puskas Award 2018! #RMUCL pic.twitter.com/48xQBEn7HB
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) September 3, 2018
Speaking of the former Portuguese man, his goal was also nominated for the goal of the year. Like Gareth Bale’s goal, his is surely one for the ages. Ironically enough the team whom he scored that incredible goal against was the team he went too. Juventus swallowed their pride and showed their support via Twitter of CR7.
The winner will be announced on Monday, September 24 in London, England. In addition to the Puskas award, the winners of various other awards such as the Ballon d’Or, Women’s Player of the Year, Coach of the Year and Women’s Coach of the Year will also be announced.
Zinedine Zidane has been nominated for the COTY award after another incredible season with Real Madrid. His guidance and leadership to three consecutive Champions League titles have earned him the opportunity to be compared with his finest peers.
If you would like to vote for Gareth Bale, Zinedine Zidane, and Luka Modric or would like to have a look at all the nominations as well as other awards that are up for grabs, click here.