Richarlison’s World Cup overhead goal nominated for Puskas Award

Death, taxes, a Tottenham Hotspur player winning the Puskas Award. It’s not exactly a trophy that you can put in the cabinet at the new stadium, but it’d be pretty cool nevertheless. Yesterday, news emerged that Richarlison’s incredible scissor kick goal for Brazil in their win over Serbia has been nominated for the Puskas Award, granted by FIFA for the best (“most aesthetically pleasing”) goal in world football.

If you’ve forgotten that goal (hah) or just plain didn’t watch the World Cup, here it is.

This is significant for a couple of reasons. First, because that goal is absolutely dope and should be a Puskas contender. But second, because Tottenham have a chance to continue an unprecedented record by becoming the first club team to have a player win the Puskas Award for three consecutive years. Son Heung-Min won in 2021 for his slaloming long run and goal against Burnley, and Erik Lamela for his rabona nutmeg goal against Arsenal in 2022. Richy wins and that’s three — THREE — straight Puskases (Puskasii?).

Now, some of you reading (probably Arsenal fans each and every one of you, also hi, welcome to the site) are going to say that this isn’t the same thing because Richarlison didn’t score a potentially Puskas-winning goal while playing for Tottenham. My response to that is: yes it totally counts, COYS, why do you hate fun?

However, this year, unlike Son’s and Lamela’s goals, I’m not sure Richy has it in the bag. Mario Balotelli (yes, him!), now playing in Turkey, is a strong contender for a flashy goal with about a billion step-overs and a rabona finish. AC Milan’s Theo Hernandez has a Son-esque goal of his own. Kylian Mbappe gets a nomination for a volleyed finish that had as much to do with everything else that was happening in the World Cup final than the quality of the actual goal (it’s still a good goal).

But for me the biggest danger to Richarlison comes from Marcin Oleksy for an incredible overhead finish playing for an amputee football team which he completed WITH ONE LEG WHILE ON CRUTCHES HOLY SMOKES.

We’re gonna find out on February 27 at the annual The Best FIFA Awards ceremony.