The entire football fraternity in Malaysia is in frenzy mode after it was announced yesterday that Faiz Subri’s sensational free-kick strike has been nominated for the prestigious FIFA Puskas Award.
The Penang striker is joined by the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and even Saul Rodriguez on the 10-man list – which is a no mean feat, though his physics-defying goal appears to be the frontrunner for the award.
He scored the goal in February 2016, before Football Association of Malaysia officially submitted a nomination to FIFA in March. Since then, hundreds of other goals were submitted to FIFA, until the deadline officially closed on October 1st.
A selection panel made up three footballing greats – Dutch legend Marco van Basten, Argentinian great Gabriel Batistuta as well as Brazilian women’s football legend Marta – went through the entire list and finalized the Top 10 goals, which includes Faiz Subri’s incredible goal.
“Whatever the final outcome, the ten shortlisted goals all have one thing in common: they are all real gems. This should come as no surprise, however, when you consider that they have been chosen by Marta, Gabriel Batistuta and Marco van Basten. Throughout their careers, these three legends became renowned not just for the quantity but the quality of the goals they scored, some of which would by no means look out of place on the FIFA Puskás Award shortlist,” FIFA said via a statement on their official website.
Voting will be conducted in two stages. The first stage of voting opened yesterday and will remain opened until the 2nd of December. After that, the shortlist will be reduced to three and the second voting stage will be opened until the day of the ceremony on the 9th of January.
Marta, Van Basten and Batistuta have had their say on Faiz Subri’s incredible goal. Now it’s your turn to make it count!
Vote for your favourite goal (read=Faiz Subri’s goal) HERE!
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