Messi, Abrahimovic in running for 2019 Puskas Award

Argentina international and Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi and LA Galaxy forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic are in running for this year’s Puskas Award.

​FIFA released the 10-player shortlist of nominees Monday. The annual prize handed each year to individual who scores the ‘most beautiful’ goal of the year

All goals under consideration were scored between 16 July 2018 and 18 July 2019 inclusive, with seven men and three women on the shortlist, the highest number of female nominees in a single year to date. As yet, no woman has ever won the Puskas Award.

Crystal Palace’s Andros Townsend makes the list for his thunderbolt effort against Manchester City last season, as does Zlatan Ibrahimovic for his wonderfully improvised finish for LA Galaxy against Toronto FC back in September.

Amy Rodriguez’s stunning solo effort for Utah Royals also makes the list, as does Cliftonville Ladies’ Billie Simpson’s strike against Sion Swift Ladies – an incredible volley from the halfway line.

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah won last year’s Puskas Award, while other past winners since its creation in 2009 have included Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, James Rodriguez, Olivier Giroud as well as 2019 nominee Ibrahimovic.

Fans will have until midnight (CEST) on 1 September to cast their vote. The public vote will then close and the overall winner will be chosen from the top three by a panel of FIFA Legends.​​

The winner will be announced at the Best FIFA Football Awards gala in Milan on 23 September

The full list of 2019 Puskas Award nominees are as follows:

Player                                                                                                                                    Team​

​Matheus Cunha                                                                                                       RB Leipzig​

​Juan Fernando Quintero                                                                               River Plate​

​Zlatan Ibrahimovic                                                                                          ​LA Galaxy

​Lionel Messi                                                                                                              Barcelona​

​Ajara Nchout                                                                                                            ​Cameroon

​Fabio Quaqliarella                                                                                        ​   Sampdoria

​Amy Rodriguez                                                                                                       Utah Royals​

​Billie Simpson                                                                                                          ​Cliftonville Ladies

Andros Townsend​                                                                                                  Crystal Palace​

Daniel Zsori​                                                                                                              Debrecen​