The FIFA Puskás Award in Hungarian pronounced as /ˈpuʃkaːʃ/ is an award established on 20 October 2009 by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), at the behest of then-president Sepp Blatter, to be awarded to the male or female judged to have scored the most aesthetically significant, or "most beautiful", goal of the calendar year. The Puskás award is announced yearly and is considered by voting.
The award is in honour of Ferenc Puskás, the striker of Real Madrid during the late 1950s to the late 1960s, and central member of the highly successful Hungarian side of the same era. Puskás is widely considered by many to be the most powerful and prolific forward Europe produced in first-division football, and was honoured by IFFHS in 1997 as the best top-tier goalscorer of the 20th century. Puskás scored 806 goals in 793 games and his 86 national team goals in 90 outings was a world record at the time.[1] [2]
"It is important to preserve the memory of those footballing greats who have left their mark on our history. Ferenc Puskás was not only a player with immense talent who won many honours, but also a remarkable man. FIFA is therefore delighted to pay tribute to him by dedicating this award to his memory," said Blatter at the inauguration of the award in Budapest.
Until 2018, the winner was decided completely based on voting by fans on FIFA's official website.[3] However, after a controversy in the 2018 award,[4] FIFA changed the procedure. Now, the award is decided by pundits selected by FIFA, who will choose the winner based on the top three goals voted for by the public.
The time-frame for the first award was July 2008 to July 2009. The annual award was presented for the first time during the 2009 FIFA World Player of the Year Gala on 21 December in Switzerland, with Portuguese player Cristiano Ronaldo being the first prize winner.
Lionel Messi holds the record for the most nominations for the FIFA Puskás Award. He has been nominated a total of 7 times (in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019), though surprisingly, he has never won the award.
The award has seen a wide variety of winners, from lesser-known players to global superstars, highlighting the best goals across all levels of competition.
Scores and results list the player's club goal tally first.
Rank | Player | Team | Opponent | Score | Competition | Vote percentage[6] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
scope=col style="background-color: gold" align="center" | 1st | Cristiano Ronaldo | Manchester United | Porto | 1–0 | 2008–09 UEFA Champions League | 17.68% |
scope=col style="background-color: silver" align="center" | 2nd | ![]() | Barcelona | Chelsea | 1–1 | 2008–09 UEFA Champions League | 15.64% |
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966" align="center" | 3rd | ![]() | VfL Wolfsburg | Bayern Munich | 5–1 | 2008–09 Bundesliga | 13.39% |
4th | ![]() | Bnei Yehuda | Maccabi Netanya | 1–1 | 2008–09 Israeli Premier League | 13.36% | |
5th | ![]() | Liverpool | Blackburn Rovers | 4–0 | 2008–09 Premier League | 9.44% | |
6th | ![]() | Internacional | Corinthians | 1–0 | 2009 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A | 8.71% | |
7th | ![]() | Chelsea | Barcelona | 1–0 | 2008–09 UEFA Champions League | 7.89% | |
8th | ![]() | Cruz Azul | Morelia | 1–1 | Liga MX Clausura 2009 | 7.30% | |
9th | Emmanuel Adebayor | Arsenal | Villarreal | 1–1 | 2008–09 UEFA Champions League | 4.04% | |
10th | Katlego Mphela | 2–2 | 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup | 2.59% |
Rank | Player | Team | Opponent | Score | Competition | Vote percentage | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
scope=col style="background-color: gold" align="center" | 1st | ![]() | 2–0 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualification | 40.55% | ||
scope=col style="background-color: silver" align="center" | 2nd | ![]() | Hammarby IF | Syrianska FC | 2–0 | 2010 Superettan | 13.23% |
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966" align="center" | 3rd | Giovanni van Bronckhorst | 1–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup | 10.61% | ||
Unranked | Matty Burrows | Glentoran | Portadown | 1–0 | 2010–11 IFA Premiership | N/A | |
![]() | Barcelona | Valencia | 3–0 | 2009–10 La Liga | |||
![]() | Arsenal | Porto | 3–0 | 2009–10 UEFA Champions League | |||
![]() | Santos | Santo André | 2–1 | 2010 Campeonato Paulista | |||
Arjen Robben | Bayern Munich | Schalke 04 | 1–0 | 2009–10 DFB-Pokal | |||
Siphiwe Tshabalala | 1–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup | |||||
![]() | 2–1 | 2010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup |
Rank | Player | Team | Opponent | Score | Competition | Vote percentage | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
scope=col style="background-color: gold" align="center" | 1st | ![]() | Santos | Flamengo | 4–5 | 2011 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A | N/A |
scope=col style="background-color: silver" align="center" | 2nd | ![]() | Barcelona | Arsenal | 1–0 | 2010–11 UEFA Champions League | |
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966" align="center" | 3rd | Wayne Rooney | Manchester United | Manchester City | 2–1 | 2010–11 Premier League | |
Unranked | ![]() | Lokeren | Club Brugge | 1–2 | 2011–12 Belgian Pro League | ||
![]() | 4–2 | 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup | |||||
![]() | 3–2 | 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup | |||||
![]() | Milan | Lecce | 1–0 | 2010–11 Serie A | |||
![]() | Arsenal de Sarandí | Olimpo | 2–2 | Argentine Primera División Apertura 2011 | |||
![]() | 1–0 | 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup | |||||
![]() | Inter Milan | Schalke 04 | 1–0 | 2010–11 UEFA Champions League |
Rank | Player | Team | Opponent | Score | Competition | Vote percentage[7] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
scope=col style="background-color: gold" align="center" | 1st | ![]() | Fenerbahçe | Gençlerbirliği | 6–1 | 2011–12 Süper Lig | 78% |
scope=col style="background-color: silver" align="center" | 2nd | ![]() | Atlético Madrid | América de Cali | 1–0 | Club friendly | 15% |
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966" align="center" | 3rd | ![]() | Santos | Internacional | 3–1 | 2012 Copa Libertadores | 7% |
Unranked | ![]() | 1–0 | 2012 Africa Cup of Nations | N/A | |||
![]() | Newcastle United | Blackburn Rovers | 1–1 | 2011–12 FA Cup | |||
![]() | Vancouver Whitecaps | Toronto FC | 1–1 | 2012 Canadian Championship | |||
![]() | 2–0 | 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup | |||||
![]() | Nacional Potosí | The Strongest | 2–2 | 2011–12 Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano | |||
![]() | 4–3 | International friendly | |||||
![]() | Fenerbahçe | Galatasaray | 1–0 | 2011–12 Süper Lig |
The following list includes the nominees for the 2013 award. Voting was possible through the FIFA.com website until 9 December 2013, after a second voting round was held between the top three goals from the first round. The award to the winning goal from the second round was presented on 13 January 2014.
Rank | Player | Team | Opponent | Score | Competition | Vote percentage[8] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
scope=col style="background-color: gold" align="center" | 1st | ![]() | 4–2 | International friendly | 48.7% | ||
scope=col style="background-color: silver" align="center" | 2nd | ![]() | Benfica | Porto | 1–1 | 2012–13 Primeira Liga | 30.8% |
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966" align="center" | 3rd | ![]() | 1–0 | 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup | 20.5% | ||
Unranked | Peter Ankersen | Esbjerg | Aarhus | 5–1 | 2013–14 Danish Superliga | N/A | |
![]() | Lyon | Saint-Étienne | 5–0 | 2012–13 Division 1 Féminine | |||
![]() | Sky Blue | Boston Breakers | 5–1 | 2013 National Women's Soccer League | |||
![]() | Udinese | Chievo | 3–1 | 2012–13 Serie A | |||
Panagiotis Kone | Bologna | Napoli | 2–3 | 2012–13 Serie A | |||
![]() | Pachuca | UANL | 2–1 | Liga MX Apertura 2013 | |||
Juan Manuel Olivera | Náutico | Sport Recife | 2–0 | 2013 Copa Sudamericana |
FIFA announced the list of 10 nominees on 12 November 2014.[9]
Rank | Player | Team | Opponent | Score | Competition | Vote percentage[10] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
scope=col style="background-color: gold" align="center" | 1st | ![]() | 2–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup | 42% | ||
scope=col style="background-color: silver" align="center" | 2nd | ![]() | Peamount United | Wexford Youths | 2–0 | 2013–14 Women's National League | 33% |
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966" align="center" | 3rd | Robin van Persie | 1–1 | 2014 FIFA World Cup | 11% | ||
Unranked | ![]() | 1–1 | 2014 FIFA World Cup | N/A | |||
![]() | Atlético Madrid | Getafe | 5–0 | 2013–14 La Liga | |||
![]() | Cruz Azul | Puebla | 1–0 | Liga MX Clausura 2014 | |||
![]() | Paris Saint-Germain | Bastia | 1–0 | 2013–14 Ligue 1 | |||
Pajtim Kasami | Fulham | Crystal Palace | 1–1 | 2013–14 Premier League | |||
![]() | Vancouver Whitecaps | Portland Timbers | 2–2 | 2013 Major League Soccer | |||
![]() | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | Kawasaki Frontale | 2–1 | 2014 J.League Division 1 |
FIFA announced the list of 10 nominees on 12 November 2015.[11]
Rank | Player | Team | Opponent | Score | Competition | Vote percentage[12] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
scope=col style="background-color: gold" align="center" | 1st | ![]() | Goianésia | Atlético Goianiense | 1–0 | 2015 Campeonato Goiano | 46.7% |
scope=col style="background-color: silver" align="center" | 2nd | ![]() | Barcelona | Athletic Bilbao | 1–0 | 2014–15 Copa del Rey | 33.3% |
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966" align="center" | 3rd | ![]() | Roma | Barcelona | 1–1 | 2015–16 UEFA Champions League | 7.1% |
Unranked | David Ball | Fleetwood Town | Preston North End | 2–2 | 2014–15 League One | N/A | |
Chory Castro | Real Sociedad | Deportivo La Coruña | 2–1 | 2014–15 La Liga | |||
![]() | 4–0 | 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup | |||||
![]() | Milan | Inter Milan | 1–0 | 2015 International Champions Cup | |||
![]() | SC Paderborn | Bolton Wanderers | 3–1 | Club friendly | |||
Esteban Ramírez | Herediano | Saprissa | 3–1 | Liga FPD Invierno 2014 | |||
![]() | Juventus | Parma | 4–0 | 2014–15 Serie A |
FIFA announced the list of 10 nominees on 21 November 2016.[13]
Rank | Player | Team | Opponent | Score | Competition | Vote percentage[14] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
scope=col style="background-color: gold" align="center" | 1st | Mohd Faiz Subri | Penang | Pahang | 4–1 | 2016 Malaysia Super League | 59.46% |
scope=col style="background-color: silver" align="center" | 2nd | ![]() | Corinthians | Cobresal | 3–0 | 2016 Copa Libertadores | 22.86% |
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966" align="center" | 3rd | ![]() | 1–0 | 2016 South American U-17 Women's Championship | 10.01% | ||
Unranked | ![]() | 1–0 | International friendly | N/A | |||
Hlompho Kekana | 2–1 | 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification | |||||
![]() | 2–0 | Copa América Centenario | |||||
![]() | Barcelona | Villarreal | 3–0 | 2015–16 La Liga | |||
Hal Robson-Kanu | 2–1 | UEFA Euro 2016 | |||||
![]() | Atlético Madrid | Bayern Munich | 1–0 | 2015–16 UEFA Champions League | |||
![]() | Åtvidabergs FF | Gefle IF | 1–0 | 2015 Allsvenskan |
FIFA announced the list of 10 nominees on 22 September 2017.[15]
Rank | Player | Team | Opponent | Score | Competition | Vote percentage[16] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
scope=col style="background-color: gold" align="center" | 1st | ![]() | Arsenal | Crystal Palace | 1–0 | 2016–17 Premier League | 36.17% |
scope=col style="background-color: silver" align="center" | 2nd | Oscarine Masuluke | Baroka | Orlando Pirates | 1–1 | 2016–17 South African Premier Division | 27.48% |
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966" align="center" | 3rd | ![]() | 2–1 | 2016 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup | 20.47% | ||
scope=col align=center rowspan=7 | Unranked | ![]() | Las Palmas | Villarreal | 1–0 | 2016–17 La Liga | N/A |
![]() | Universidad de Concepción | O'Higgins | 3–1 | Chilean Primera División Apertura 2016 | |||
![]() | Celtic | St Johnstone | 5–2 | 2016–17 Scottish Premiership | |||
![]() | Tijuana | Atlas | 1–1 | Liga MX Clausura 2017 | |||
Mario Mandžukić | Juventus | Real Madrid | 1–1 | 2016–17 UEFA Champions League | |||
![]() | Chelsea | Tottenham Hotspur | 4–2 | 2016–17 FA Cup | |||
![]() | Barcelona | Borussia Dortmund | 4–1 | 2016–17 UEFA Youth League |
FIFA announced the list of 10 nominees on 3 September 2018.[17]
Rank | Player | Team | Opponent | Score | Competition | Vote percentage[18] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
scope=col style="background-color: gold" align="center" | 1st | ![]() | Liverpool | Everton | 1–0 | 2017–18 Premier League | 38% |
scope=col style="background-color: silver" align="center" | 2nd | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid | Juventus | 2–0 | 2017–18 UEFA Champions League | 22% |
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966" align="center" | 3rd | Giorgian de Arrascaeta | Cruzeiro | América Mineiro | 1–0 | 2018 Campeonato Mineiro | 17% |
Unranked | Gareth Bale | Real Madrid | Liverpool | 2–1 | 2017–18 UEFA Champions League | N/A | |
![]() | 1–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup | |||||
Lazaros Christodoulopoulos | AEK Athens | Olympiacos | 2–2 | 2017–18 Super League Greece | |||
![]() | Newcastle Jets | Melbourne City | 1–1 | 2017–18 A-League | |||
![]() | 1–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup | |||||
![]() | 2–2 | 2018 FIFA World Cup | |||||
Ricardo Quaresma | 1–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup |
FIFA announced the list of 10 nominees on 19 August 2019.[19]
Rank | Player | Team | Opponent | Score | Competition | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
scope=col style="background-color: gold" align="center" | 1st | ![]() | Debrecen | Ferencváros | 2–1 | 2018–19 Nemzeti Bajnokság I |
scope=col style="background-color: silver" align="center" | 2nd | ![]() | Barcelona | Real Betis | 4–1 | 2018–19 La Liga |
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966" align="center" | 3rd | ![]() | River Plate | Racing | 1–0 | 2018–19 Argentine Primera División |
Unranked | ![]() | RB Leipzig | Bayer Leverkusen | 4–2 | 2018–19 Bundesliga | |
![]() | LA Galaxy | Toronto FC | 1–3 | 2018 Major League Soccer | ||
![]() | 2–1 | 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup | ||||
![]() | Sampdoria | Napoli | 3–0 | 2018–19 Serie A | ||
![]() | Utah Royals FC | Sky Blue FC | 1–0 | 2019 National Women's Soccer League | ||
Billie Simpson | Cliftonville Ladies | Sion Swifts Ladies | 1–2 | 2018 Women's Premiership | ||
Andros Townsend | Crystal Palace | Manchester City | 2–1 | 2018–19 Premier League |
FIFA announced the list of 11 nominees on 25 November 2020.[20]
Rank | Player | Team | Opponent | Score | Competition | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
scope=col style="background-color: gold" align="center" | 1st | ![]() | Tottenham Hotspur | Burnley | 3–0 | 2019–20 Premier League |
scope=col style="background-color: silver" align="center" | 2nd | Giorgian de Arrascaeta | Flamengo | Ceará | 3–0 | 2019 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A |
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966" align="center" | 3rd | Luis Suárez | Barcelona | Mallorca | 4–1 | 2019–20 La Liga |
Unranked | Shirley Cruz | 3–1 | 2020 CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Championship | |||
Jordan Flores | Dundalk | Shamrock Rovers | 2–3 | 2020 League of Ireland Premier Division | ||
![]() | UANL | UNAM | 3–0 | Liga MX Clausura 2020 | ||
Sophie Ingle | Chelsea | Arsenal | 3–0 | 2019–20 FA WSL | ||
![]() | Red Bull Salzburg | Rapid Wien | 6–1 | 2019–20 Austrian Bundesliga | ||
Hlompho Kekana | Mamelodi Sundowns | Cape Town City | 1–0 | 2019–20 Premier Soccer League | ||
![]() | Macará | Universidad Católica | 1–0 | 2019 Ecuadorian Serie A | ||
Caroline Weir | Manchester City | Manchester United | 1–0 | 2019–20 FA WSL |
FIFA announced the list of 11 nominees on 17 January 2022.
Rank | Player | Team | Opponent | Score | Competition | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
scope=col style="background-color: gold" align="center" | 1st | ![]() | Tottenham Hotspur | Arsenal | 1–0 | 2020–21 Premier League |
scope=col style="background-color: silver" align="center" | 2nd | ![]() | Porto | Chelsea | 1–0 | 2020–21 UEFA Champions League |
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966" align="center" | 3rd | ![]() | 2–0 | UEFA Euro 2020 | ||
Unranked | ![]() | 1–0 | 2021 Copa América | |||
![]() | Auxerre | Niort | 3–0 | 2020–21 Ligue 2 | ||
![]() | Borussia Mönchengladbach | Bayer Leverkusen | 3–4 | 2020–21 Bundesliga | ||
Riyad Mahrez | 2–0 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification | ||||
![]() | Supreme Ladies | Kumasi Sports Academy Ladies | 1–1 | 2020–21 Ghana Women's Premier League | ||
Vangelis Pavlidis | Willem II | Fortuna Sittard | 1–0 | 2020–21 Eredivisie | ||
![]() | Querétaro | Atlético San Luis | 3–2 | Liga MX Femenil Guardianes 2021 | ||
Caroline Weir | Manchester City | Manchester United | 3–0 | 2020–21 FA WSL |
FIFA announced the list of 11 nominees on 12 January 2023.[21]
Rank | Player | Team | Opponent | Score | Competition | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
scope=col style="background-color: gold" align="center" | 1st | ![]() | Warta Poznań | Stal Rzeszów | 1–0 | 2022 PZU Amp Futbol Ekstraklasa |
scope=col style="background-color: silver" align="center" | 2nd | ![]() | Marseille | PAOK | 2–0 | 2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League |
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966" align="center" | 3rd | ![]() | 2–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup | ||
Unranked | ![]() | Adana Demirspor | Göztepe | 7–0 | 2021–22 Süper Lig | |
![]() | Central Córdoba | Rosario Central | 1–0 | 2022 Argentine Primera División | ||
![]() | Lyon | Barcelona | 1–0 | 2021–22 UEFA Women's Champions League | ||
![]() | Milan | Atalanta | 2–0 | 2021–22 Serie A | ||
![]() | 1–0 | 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup | ||||
![]() | 2–2 | 2022 FIFA World Cup | ||||
![]() | Villarreal | Barcelona | 1–0 | 2021–22 Liga F | ||
Alessia Russo | 3–0 | UEFA Women's Euro 2022 |
FIFA announced the list of 11 nominees on 22 September 2023.[22]
Rank | Player | Team | Opponent | Score | Competition | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
scope=col style="background-color: gold" align="center" | 1st | ![]() | Botafogo-SP | Novorizontino | 1–0 | 2023 Campeonato Brasileiro Série B |
scope=col style="background-color: silver" align="center" | 2nd | Nuno Santos | Sporting CP | Boavista | 1–0 | 2022–23 Primeira Liga |
scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966" align="center" | 3rd | Julio Enciso | Brighton & Hove Albion | Manchester City | 1–1 | 2022–23 Premier League |
Unranked | ![]() | FC Cincinnati | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 2–0 | 2023 U.S. Open Cup | |
![]() | 1–0 | 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup | ||||
![]() | 2–0 | 2023 AFC U-20 Asian Cup | ||||
![]() | 1–1 | 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup | ||||
Brian Lozano | Atlas | América | 2–2 | Liga MX Clausura 2023 | ||
![]() | Ibiza | Burgos | 1–0 | 2022–23 Segunda División | ||
![]() | 2–2 | UEFA Euro 2024 qualification | ||||
![]() | 3–0 | 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup |
FIFA announced the list of 11 nominees on 28 November 2024.[23]
Beginning this year, FIFA also established the FIFA Marta Award as a separate category for female players, named after the Brazil women's forward and captain for over two decades from 2002 until 2024.[24]
Country | Wins | Years | |
---|---|---|---|
![]() | 2011, 2015, 2023 | ||
![]() | 2009 | ||
![]() | 2010 | ||
![]() | 2012 | ||
![]() | 2013 | ||
![]() | 2014 | ||
![]() | 2016 | ||
![]() | 2017 | ||
![]() | 2018 | ||
![]() | 2019 | ||
2020 | |||
![]() | 2021 | ||
![]() | 2022 |
Player | Nominations | |
---|---|---|
![]() | 7 | |
![]() | 5 | |
![]() | 4 | |
![]() | 2 | |
Cristiano Ronaldo | 2 | |
Giorgian de Arrascaeta | 2 | |
Hlompho Kekana | 2 | |
Caroline Weir | 2 |