FIFA Puskas award 2018/19: nominations confirmed
World football's governing body has announced the final ten players for the best goal of the season award, with Lionel Messi again in the mix.
FIFA has announced their 2018/19 Puskas award nominations, with only four of the final 10 coming from Europe's big five leagues.
Messi chips in for Puskas award nomination
The annual gong is handed out to the player deemed to have scored the best goal of the season. Last year this went to Liverpool's Mohamed Salah for his goal against Everton in the Premier League (despite his teammate James Milner poking fun at it), while the same competition provided 2017's winner as Olivier Giroud stunned Crystal Palace with an outrageous effort for Arsenal. The five previous awards went to Mohd Faiz Subri (Penang), Wendell Lira (Goianésia), James Rodriguéz (Colombia), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden) and Miroslav Stoch (Fenerbahçe).
Barcelona's Lionel Messi has a chance to lift the Puskas award for the first time despite, unsurprisingly, being nominated for it six times before. His deftly chipped finish against Real Betis in LaLiga his him on the list.
Puskas award 2019 nominations
Lionel Messi: Real Betis vs. BARCELONA
Matheus Cunha: Bayer Leverkusen vs. RB LEIPZIG
Fabio Quagliarella: SAMPDORIA vs. Napoli
Andros Townsend: Manchester City vs. CRYSTAL PALACE
Amy Rodriguez: UTAH ROYALS vs. Sky Blue FC
Ajara Nchout: CAMEROON WOMEN vs. New Zealand Women
Billie Simpson: Sion Swifts Ladies vs. CLIFTONVILLE LADIES FC
Daniel Zsori: DEBRECEN FC vs. Ferencvaros TC
Juan Fernando Quintero: RIVER PLATE vs. Racing Club
Zlatan Ibrahimovic: Toronto vs. LA GALAXY