Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah has won the FIFA Puskás Award 2018 for his goal against Everton.
The FIFA Puskas Award rewards the best goal scored between 3 July 2017 and 15 July 2018. Salah received the award at an event gala in London tonight, beating off competition from Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale who both landed stunning bicycle-kick goals.
The award is decided by a fan vote and the criteria is as follows: "An aesthetically beautiful goal, awarded without distinction of championship, gender or nationality, scored without the result of luck or a mistake and in support of Fair Play."
In a vote that was always likely to prove divisive, the decision prompted a bewildered reaction.
These FIFA awards are so bad it’s verging on must watch TV. In one of the worst decisions of modern times Mo Salah just won the Puskas Award for his goal against Everton. Ahead of Bale and Ronaldo’s overhead kicks!
— Nathan Murphy (@nathanmurf) September 24, 2018
Hold up! Salah vs Everton wins #Puskás award over Bale... feck off
— Conor O'Sullivan (@_ConorOSullivan) September 24, 2018
That Salah goal wasn’t even the best goal he scored last season
— Bob (@Robbie_OR) September 24, 2018
The fact that Mo Salah won the Puskas award with this goal officially makes the award nothing more than a joke. So many better goals (including some even Salah scored) and this one gets picked instead. https://t.co/MX5flBRlpQ
— EiF (@EiFSoccer) September 24, 2018
Mo Salah is probably given this award as compensation because that's the worst goal to win a Puskas ever #FIFAFootballAwards
— Imoh (@ImohUmoren) September 24, 2018
I don't think the goal that won the Puskas Award was even Salah's best last season. IMHO - The first v Roma, the late goal at home to Spurs and the fourth (I think) at home to Watford all better. And Bale should be winning the Puskas award.
— Gavin Cooney (@gcooney93) September 24, 2018
Mo Salah winning the Puskas Award ahead of Ronaldo's overkick goal against Juventus and Bale's overhead kick against Liverpool is baffling #FIFAFootballAwards
— Pye Waw (@pyewaw) September 24, 2018
So how did Riley McGree's WONDER GOAL not win the #Puskás Goal of the Year?!
??♂️#FIFAFootballAwards pic.twitter.com/stUKyhL1Av
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) September 24, 2018
This effort wasn't too bad either...#FIFAFootballAwards pic.twitter.com/RyAIR8MObo
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) September 24, 2018
These awards are subjective by their very nature and consequentially, never unanimous. The fact that they are also a fan vote further distorts the process. Nevertheless, Salah's achievement means it is the second year in a row the accolade has gone to a Premier League scorer after Oliver Giroud top the prize last year.
