This was supposed to be for the best of the best.
But like Sky Sports being infiltrated by Arsenal fans every time they do a poll, the FIFA Puskas award was put to a vote by the fans and the winning goal has got a lot of people talking.
Mohamed Salah’s derby goal against Everton, where he brushes off two defenders before curling into the top corner was voted as the best goal scored in world football last year.
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It’s undoubtedly a nice goal, shows strength and skill but we don’t think it’s even Salah’s best goal for Liverpool last season let alone the best goal in the world.
The BBC canned the public vote for it’s Premier League Goal of the Season in 2015 and there were plenty who were calling for FIFA to do the same after Salah’s effort beat the likes of Gareth Bale’s Champions League final bicycle kick and Benjamin Pavard’s World Cup stunner.
Even James Milner agrees with us…
As Milner highlights, Salah scored at least six better goals last season than the one which was called the best in the world.
So without further ado, here they are:
1 Liverpool v Roma, Champions League semi-final
The score is 0-0 in the Champions League semi at Anfield with Sadio Mane having missed two glaring chances.
Liverpool’s talisman receives the ball on the right of the area, takes one touch to get it out of his feet and wraps his foot around it from 18 yards perfectly.
A stunning goal, in a huge pressure moment, in Liverpool’s biggest match of the season at that point against one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
We’ve lined the video up at the exact moment he strikes this beauty for your viewing pleasure.
2 Man City v Liverpool, Champions League quarter-final
Another crunch Champions League match, another brilliant Salah goal.
Salah makes and finishes this one.
The ball arrives at his feet on the counter, two flicks of his boots and it is on its way to Mane bursting into the box.
Ederson makes the save only for Salah to follow up, dribble past him and outrageously dink it over the flailing Nicolas Otamendi on the line.
You can watch the goal that was definitely better than his Puskas goal at 03.36 on this link.
3 Liverpool v Spurs, Premier league
If you want a goal that is as close to the Everton goal but certainly better here it is.
The technical dribbling inside the Spurs box to get round some of the league’s best defenders before lifting it over Hugo Lloris is pure brilliance.
To make it even more special the goal was came in the 91st minute with the match at 1-1.
Unfortunately Harry Kane then converted a 95th minute penalty to equalise.
4 Liverpool v Watford, Premier League
There are shades of Lionel Messi ending Jerome Boateng’s career about this one.
As the first of Salah’s four goals in Liverpool’s 5-0 drubbing of Watford it might get overlooked.
Make no mistake this was better than the Everton goal.
Miguel Britos is left scrambling around on the floor while Sebastian Prodl is still searching for Salah’s shadow somewhere. Lovely tekkers.
5 Liverpool v Arsenal, Premier League
This makes the list for endeavour + ingenuity = goal.
Salah puts his head in where it might hurt to break away on the counter, he then bursts half the length of the pitch before whipping it past a helpless Petr Cech in goal.
We’ve cued up the clip so you can see for yourself.
https://youtu.be/zRsFDpg-PO8?t=2m28s
6 Liverpool v Man City, Premier League
https://youtu.be/52qa7bx7L6M?t=2m58s
Against the record Premier League champions Salah pulled off a piece of expert technique to put his side 4-1 up.
Ederson sloppily clears the ball straight to the Egyptian at an awkward height between knee and hip.
No problem, he plucks it out of the air like a magician and proceeds to return to sender over Ederson’s head and into the net.
In addition, this was the match that broke Man City’s invincibility in the league.
And just for your viewing pleasure, here are some actual top quality goals that have won the award since 2009.
WATCH: Love Of The Game: Leyton Orient (Episode 1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VD3s7VgLHTI