Stunning Brighton goal which saw Man City outplayed at their own game gets Puskas Award nomination
Brighton forward Julio Enciso is one of three finalists in contention to win the coveted FIFA Puskas Award.
The accolade is handed out to the player who scores the best goal across both men’s and women’s football between the period of December 19, 2022 and August 20, 2023.
The winner will be announced at the The Best FIFA Football Awards in London on January 15.
The prize is named after Hungarian Legend Ferenc Puskas who netted a fair share of impressive goals during his career.
Enciso’s strike for the Seagulls in May is the Premier League’s sole representative for the award with Brazil’s Serie B and Portugal’s Primeira Liga also up for the gong.
The Paraguayan's strike against Manchester City helped salvage his side a crucial point in their quest to qualify for a Europa League spot.
The 19-year-old capped off a fantastic team move by firing an unstoppable 30-yard strike into the top corner following a period of superb possession play – a goal normally attributed to Pep Guardiola’s men.
His strike was as important to him as it was to Brighton’s European hopes and the forward explained why his thunderous effort took on extra meaning.
“The replay is even better. I really like it, because I needed to score at the Amex,” Enciso said after the full-time whistle. “My mum was at this game, so it was just for my mum, my celebration. In my country, this goal is on TV, it's a dream come true.”
Enciso will go head-to-head with Sporting Lisbon’s Nuno Santos for his stunning rabona effort against Boavista in March.
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