FIFA have established a new award named after Hungarian legend Ferenc Puskas that will be given to the player who scores “the most beautiful goal” of the year.
It will be inaugurated in December during the 2009 FIFA World Player Gala and presented to the player – man or woman – who has scored the “most beautiful goal” during the past year.
Blatter had the following to say about the award.
“I don’t think there’s ever been another player with the same personality, on or off the field. With this new award, we are not only paying homage to Ferenc Puskas, we’re honouring the philosophy of the game.”
Mrs Erzsébet Puskás,widow of Ferenc Puskas said:”It is truly an indescribable honour that FIFA, which in the area of our youth is already one of the world’s most prestigious organisations, names such an important award after Ferenc Puskás. I thank you in the name of ‘Öcsi’ and on behalf of all those who admired Ferenc Puskás’ ability and personality and who appreciated and respected my husband around the whole world. In particular I would like to welcome here our old friend, Mr Sepp Blatter, who has done so much to create this award. I am very grateful to the Puskás Academy and the Hungarian Football Association, which assisted in the creation of the Puskás Award. I trust that the men and women who will win the FIFA Puskás Award in the future will be appreciative and that football supporters will also be proud of them.”
FIFA have announced the following criteria for selecting the goal of the year:
1. It should be a beautiful goal (subjective – the spread of goals should include long-range shots, team goals, overhead kicks, etc.).
2. The importance of the match should be taken into account (objective – limited to “A” international teams, confederation championships and national top-division club matches: the more important the goal, the better).
3. The goal should not be the result of luck or mistakes by the other team.(Balloon assisted goals are ruled out)
4. The goal should support fair play, i.e. the player should not have behaved badly in the game (Ronaldo,Drogba ruled out) or have been charged with doping etc
5. Only goals scored from July 2008 to July 2009 will be considered. (Maradona has a few things to say about this )
Catch up with our old friend – Beaming Blatter – unveiling the new award here..