2024 FIFA Puskás Award: Four Africans Hoping To Emulate Mohamed Salah and End Continental 7-Year Wait

The Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony will occur in January 2025, with a record four Africans vying for the prestigious FIFA Puskás Award.

This accolade has been awarded annually since October 2009 to the male or female player judged to have scored the most “most beautiful goal” of the football calendar year.

Four Africans have made it to the 11-man shortlist for the first time in honour of the late Hungarian and Real Madrid legend Ferenc Puskás. 

Denis Omedi (UGANDA)

KCCA vs Kitara | 6 August, 2024

Denis Omedi earns a spot in this year’s nomination thanks to his jaw-dropping goal during a FUFA Super 8 quarter-final game against KCCA.

In a thrilling 3-3 battle in Lugogo, the Kitara FC forward fired an unstoppable rabona from the edge of the penalty box, generating enough power from his left foot to find the top corner of the net.

Following the strike, Omedi’s effort and nomination have drawn comparisons with Erik Lamela’s famous rabona against Arsenal in the 2021 North London Derby, which won the Puskás Award.

The Ugandan hopes to become only the second player to win the coveted award with a rabona goal.

Mohammed Kudus (GHANA) 

West Ham United vs Freiburg | 14 March, 2024

Ghana’s Mohammed Kudus also shines among the nominees after capping off a remarkable solo run with a goal in West Ham’s Europa League clash against Freiburg.

Picking up a loose pass from the ball inside his half, the forward weaved past three defenders with feints and deft touches before finishing into the bottom right corner with his weaker right foot.

Kudus’ spectacular goal won West Ham United’s Goal of the Season and has now earned him recognition from FIFA.

Yassine Benzia (ALGERIA)

Algeria vs South Africa | 26 March, 2024

Benzia produced a moment of magic in the 70th minute to level the score during a FIFA Series encounter at the Stade de Nelson Mandela.

With Algeria trailing 2-3, the 30-year-old received a pass from teammate Monsef Bakrar while facing away from the goal.

But in a moment of pure artistry, Benzia flicked the ball up with his right boot and executed a stunning bicycle kick that nestled into the net, sparking wild celebrations among the home fans.

Yassine Benzia currently plays for Qarabağ FK in the first division of the Azerbaijan Premier League.

Paul Onuachu (NIGERIA)

Trabzonspor v Konyaspor | 10 November 2023

Southampton forward Paul Onuachu has struggled for form and game time with The Saints this season. Still, his extraordinary goal in the Turkish Super Lig last season drew widespread praise and subsequently earned him a nomination for the 2024 Puskás Award.

The former Trabzonspor striker met Enis Destan’s out-swinging cross with an audacious flying backheel, scoring an 85th-minute winner to secure three much-needed points for his team.

Onuachu etched his name in Nigerian history with the fastest-ever international goal for the Super Eagles. He scored in just 10 seconds and hopes to add the Puskás Award to his growing list of individual achievements.

Other nominees include Man United’s Alejandro Garnacho, Qatar’s Hassan Al Haydos, Hull City’s Jaden Philogene, Inter Milan’s Federico Dimarco, Honduras’ Michaell Chirinos, Australia’s Terry Antonis, and Argentina’s Walter Bou.

The last Puskás Award won by an African was Egypt’s Mohamed Salah in September 2018.

The “Egyptian King” beat off competition from a star-studded list of nominees that featured Lionel Messi, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Read More:

• Burkina Faso: Traore Distributes 20 Optical Sorters To Rice Mills To Improve Quality, Competitiveness Of Local Rice
• Atiku Calls For Transparency, Fairness in NASS Deliberation on Tinubu’s Tax Reform Bills

About The Author

Ivo Okeke

author

See author's posts