The FIFA Puskás Award 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 player 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. From 2024, only male players are eligible to win, with the FIFA Marta Award established for female players instead.
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.
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 as the first prize winner. There have been 17 award winners since 2009. As of July 2026, no player has won the award twice.
Award criteria and procedure
Criteria The criteria for the award are: The goal should be "aesthetically beautiful". The goal should be scored without the result of luck or a mistake. The goal should be in support of fair play. The goal should be judged without distinction of championship or nationality.
Procedure FIFA nominates eleven goals each year for voting. Voting is done by two groups: registered users on FIFA's website, and a panel of experts appointed by FIFA. Each individual in both groups selects their top three goals, assigning five points to the first, three points to the second, and one point to the third. Following the first vote, the totals from fans and Legends are used to rank the eleven goals individually inside their respective categories. Based on these rankings, each group assigns “scoring points” to the goals, with the first-ranked goal receiving thirteen points, the second getting eleven, the third nine, and so on down to one point for the eleventh. For each goal, the scoring points from the fan group and the FIFA Legends group are added together, and the goal with the highest combined score is awarded the Puskás Award.
Winners and nominees Scores and results list the player's club goal tally first.
2009
RankPlayerTeamOpponentScoreCompetitionVote percentage 1st Cristiano Ronaldo Manchester United Porto1–02008–09 UEFA Champions League17.68% 2nd Andrés Iniesta Barcelona Chelsea1–12008–09 UEFA Champions League15.64% 3rd Grafite VfL Wolfsburg Bayern Munich5–12008–09 Bundesliga13.39%4th Eliran Atar Bnei Yehuda Maccabi Netanya1–12008–09 Israeli Premier League13.36%5th Fernando Torres Liverpool Blackburn Rovers4–02008–09 Premier League9.44%6th Nilmar Internacional Corinthians1–02009 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A8.71%7th Michael Essien Chelsea Barcelona1–02008–09 UEFA Champions League7.89%8th Luis Ángel Landín Cruz Azul Morelia1–1Liga MX Clausura 20097.30%9th Emmanuel Adebayor Arsenal Villarreal1–12008–09 UEFA Champions League4.04%10th Katlego Mphela2–22009 FIFA Confederations Cup2.59%
2010 RankPlayerTeamOpponentScoreCompetitionVote percentage 1st Hamit Altıntop2–0UEFA Euro 2012 qualification40.55% 2nd Linus Hallenius Hammarby IF Syrianska FC2–02010 Superettan13.23% 3rd Giovanni van Bronckhorst1–02010 FIFA World Cup10.61% Unranked Matty Burrows Glentoran Portadown1–02010–11 IFA Premiership N/A Lionel Messi Barcelona Valencia3–02009–10 La Liga Samir Nasri Arsenal Porto3–02009–10 UEFA Champions League Neymar Santos Santo André2–12010 Campeonato Paulista Arjen Robben Bayern Munich Schalke 041–02009–10 DFB-Pokal Siphiwe Tshabalala1–02010 FIFA World Cup Kumi Yokoyama2–12010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup
2011 RankPlayerTeamOpponentScoreCompetition 1st Neymar Santos Flamengo3–02011 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 2nd Lionel Messi Barcelona Arsenal3–12010–11 UEFA Champions League 3rd Wayne Rooney Manchester United Manchester City2–12010–11 Premier League Unranked Benjamin De Ceulaer Lokeren Club Brugge1–22011–12 Belgian Pro League Giovani dos Santos4–22011 CONCACAF Gold Cup Julio Gómez3–22011 FIFA U-17 World Cup Zlatan Ibrahimović Milan Lecce1–02010–11 Serie A Lisandro López Arsenal de Sarandí Olimpo2–2Argentine Primera División Apertura 2011 Heather O'Reilly1–02011 FIFA Women's World Cup Dejan Stanković Inter Milan Schalke 041–02010–11 UEFA Champions League
2012 RankPlayerTeamOpponentScoreCompetitionVote percentage 1st Miroslav Stoch Fenerbahçe Gençlerbirliği6–12011–12 Süper Lig 78% 2nd Radamel Falcao Atlético Madrid América de Cali1–0Club friendly 15% 3rd Neymar Santos Internacional2–02012 Copa Libertadores 7% Unranked Emmanuel Badu1–02012 Africa Cup of Nations N/A Hatem Ben Arfa Newcastle United Blackburn Rovers1–12011–12 FA Cup Eric Hassli Vancouver Whitecaps Toronto FC1–12012 Canadian Championship Olivia Jiménez2–02012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Gastón Mealla Nacional Potosí The Strongest2–22011–12 Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano Lionel Messi4–3International friendly Moussa Sow Fenerbahçe Galatasaray1–02011–12 Süper Lig
2013
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.
RankPlayerTeamOpponentScoreCompetitionVote percentage 1st Zlatan Ibrahimović4–2International friendly48.7% 2nd Nemanja Matić Benfica Porto1–12012–13 Primeira Liga30.8% 3rd Neymar1–02013 FIFA Confederations Cup20.5%Unranked Peter Ankersen Esbjerg Aarhus5–12013–14 Danish SuperligaN/A Louisa Cadamuro Lyon Saint-Étienne5–02012–13 Division 1 Féminine Lisa De Vanna Sky Blue Boston Breakers5–12013 National Women's Soccer League Antonio Di Natale Udinese Chievo3–12012–13 Serie A Panagiotis Kone Bologna Napoli2–32012–13 Serie A Daniel Ludueña Pachuca UANL2–1Liga MX Apertura 2013 Juan Manuel Olivera Náutico Sport Recife2–02013 Copa Sudamericana
2014
FIFA announced the list of 10 nominees on 12 November 2014.
RankPlayerTeamOpponentScoreCompetitionVote percentage 1st James Rodríguez1–02014 FIFA World Cup42% 2nd Stephanie Roche Peamount United Wexford Youths2–02013–14 Women's National League33% 3rd Robin van Persie1–12014 FIFA World Cup11%Unranked Tim Cahill1–12014 FIFA World Cup N/A Diego Costa Atlético Madrid Getafe5–02013–14 La Liga Marco Fabián Cruz Azul Puebla1–0Liga MX Clausura 2014 Zlatan Ibrahimović Paris Saint-Germain Bastia1–02013–14 Ligue 1 Pajtim Kasami Fulham Crystal Palace1–12013–14 Premier League Camilo Sanvezzo Vancouver Whitecaps Portland Timbers2–22013 Major League Soccer Hisato Satō Sanfrecce Hiroshima Kawasaki Frontale2–12014 J.League Division 1
2015 FIFA announced the list of 10 nominees on 12 November 2015.
RankPlayerTeamOpponentScoreCompetitionVote percentage 1st Wendell Lira Goianésia Atlético Goianiense1–02015 Campeonato Goiano46.7% 2nd Lionel Messi Barcelona Athletic Bilbao1–02014–15 Copa del Rey33.3% 3rd Alessandro Florenzi Roma Barcelona1–12015–16 UEFA Champions League7.1%Unranked David Ball Fleetwood Town Preston North End2–22014–15 League One N/A Chory Castro Real Sociedad Deportivo La Coruña2–12014–15 La Liga Carli Lloyd4–02015 FIFA Women's World Cup Philippe Mexès Milan Inter Milan1–02015 International Champions Cup Marcel Ndjeng SC Paderborn Bolton Wanderers3–1Club friendly Esteban Ramírez Herediano Saprissa3–2Liga FPD Invierno 2014 Carlos Tevez Juventus Parma4–02014–15 Serie A
2016 FIFA announced the list of 10 nominees on 21 November 2016.
RankPlayerTeamOpponentScoreCompetitionVote percentage 1st Mohd Faiz Subri Penang Pahang4–12016 Malaysia Super League 59.46% 2nd Marlone Corinthians Cobresal3–02016 Copa Libertadores 22.86% 3rd Daniuska Rodríguez1–02016 South American U-17 Women's Championship 10.01% Unranked Mario Gaspar1–0International friendly N/A Hlompho Kekana2–12017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification Lionel Messi2–0Copa América Centenario Neymar Barcelona Villarreal3–02015–16 La Liga Hal Robson-Kanu2–1UEFA Euro 2016 Saúl Atlético Madrid Bayern Munich1–02015–16 UEFA Champions League Simon Skrabb Åtvidabergs FF Gefle IF1–02015 Allsvenskan
2017
FIFA announced the list of 10 nominees on 22 September 2017.
RankPlayerTeamOpponentScoreCompetitionVote percentage 1st Olivier Giroud Arsenal Crystal Palace1–02016–17 Premier League36.17% 2nd Oscarine Masuluke Baroka Orlando Pirates1–12016–17 South African Premier Division27.48% 3rd Deyna Castellanos2–12016 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup20.47%Unranked Kevin-Prince Boateng Las Palmas Villarreal1–02016–17 La LigaN/A Alejandro Camargo Universidad de Concepción O'Higgins3–1Chilean Primera División Apertura 2016 Moussa Dembélé Celtic St Johnstone5–22016–17 Scottish Premiership Avilés Hurtado Tijuana Atlas1–1Liga MX Clausura 2017 Mario Mandžukić Juventus Real Madrid1–12016–17 UEFA Champions League Nemanja Matić Chelsea Tottenham Hotspur4–22016–17 FA Cup Jordi Mboula Barcelona Borussia Dortmund4–12016–17 UEFA Youth League
2018 FIFA announced the list of 10 nominees on 3 September 2018. RankPlayerTeamOpponentScoreCompetitionVote percentage 1st Mohamed Salah Liverpool Everton1–02017–18 Premier League38% 2nd Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid Juventus2–02017–18 UEFA Champions League22% 3rd Giorgian de Arrascaeta Cruzeiro América Mineiro1–02018 Campeonato Mineiro17%Unranked Gareth Bale Real Madrid Liverpool2–12017–18 UEFA Champions League23% Denis Cheryshev1–02018 FIFA World Cup Lazaros Christodoulopoulos AEK Athens Olympiacos2–22017–18 Super League Greece Riley McGree Newcastle Jets Melbourne City1–12017–18 A-League Lionel Messi1–02018 FIFA World Cup Benjamin Pavard2–22018 FIFA World Cup Ricardo Quaresma1–02018 FIFA World Cup
2019 FIFA announced the list of 10 nominees on 19 August 2019. RankPlayerTeamOpponentScoreCompetition 1st Dániel Zsóri Debrecen Ferencváros2–12018–19 Nemzeti Bajnokság I 2nd Lionel Messi Barcelona Real Betis4–12018–19 La Liga 3rd Juan Fernando Quintero River Plate Racing1–02018–19 Superliga ArgentinaUnranked Matheus Cunha RB Leipzig Bayer Leverkusen4–22018–19 Bundesliga Zlatan Ibrahimović LA Galaxy Toronto FC1–32018 Major League Soccer Ajara Nchout2–12019 FIFA Women's World Cup Fabio Quagliarella Sampdoria Napoli3–02018–19 Serie A Amy Rodriguez Utah Royals FC Sky Blue FC1–02019 National Women's Soccer League Billie Simpson Cliftonville Ladies Sion Swifts Ladies1–22018 Women's Premiership Andros Townsend Crystal Palace Manchester City2–12018–19 Premier League
2020 FIFA announced the list of 11 nominees on 25 November 2020. RankPlayerTeamOpponentScoreCompetitionPoints 1st Son Heung-min Tottenham Hotspur Burnley3–02019–20 Premier League24 2nd Giorgian de Arrascaeta Flamengo Ceará3–02019 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A22 3rd Luis Suárez Barcelona Mallorca4–12019–20 La Liga20Unranked Shirley Cruz3–12020 CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying ChampionshipN/A Jordan Flores Dundalk Shamrock Rovers2–32020 League of Ireland Premier Division André-Pierre Gignac UANL UNAM3–0Liga MX Clausura 2020 Sophie Ingle Chelsea Arsenal3–02019–20 FA WSL Zlatko Junuzović Red Bull Salzburg Rapid Wien6–12019–20 Austrian Bundesliga Hlompho Kekana Mamelodi Sundowns Cape Town City1–02019–20 South African Premier Division Leonel Quiñónez Macará Universidad Católica1–02019 LigaPro Serie A Caroline Weir Manchester City Manchester United1–02019–20 FA WSL
2021 FIFA announced the list of 11 nominees on 17 January 2022.