Mohammed Kudus, West Ham United badge
West Ham United forward Mohammed Kudus [Credit: Imago]
Jonathan Burnett
Sat 30 November 2024 7:10, UK
Mohammed Kudus being nominated for the 2024 FIFA Puskas Award can be the catalyst for turning his West Ham form around.
FIFA released their 11-player shortlist for the 2024 Award on 29 November and featured Kudus’ strike against SC Freiburg in the Europa League Round of 16 on 14 March, his first of two in a 5-0 win.
The goal saw the Hammers forward collect possession deep in his own half, before driving and weaving his way beyond three Freiburg defenders and slotting home a right-footed finish into the bottom corner.
It’s a goal which Kudus – currently serving a five-game ban – hasn’t looked like scoring this season after a woeful start, and Irons fans will hope his personal achievement now spurs the Ghanaian on to improve.
Mohammed Kudus and West Ham have to get back to their best
Not only has Kudus’ solo effort been nominated as one of the 11 best goals scored in the 2023/24 season, it also came at one of the high points of the Hammers’ form under David Moyes last term.
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The Irons failed to win any other match by more than three goals, let alone five, in the last campaign, with their five-star performance against Freiburg potentially being their last European win for quite some time.
Picture of Mohammed Kudus
Kudus’ start to the current campaign is a far cry from his form for the Irons last season [Credit: Imago]
That’s because so far this season, Julen Lopetegui’s new-look side – and Kudus in particular – haven’t looked close to replicating the continent-conquering heights they reached during Moyes’ tenure.
Although Lopetegui produced arguably his and the Hammers’ best performance of the season against Newcastle United last time out, they’re still yet to put a run of consistent, convincing results together.
With Kudus set to serve the fifth and final match of his ban against Arsenal on 30 November, Lopetegui and Irons fans alike will be keen to see the 24-year-old get back to his best as soon as possible.
In other West Ham news, Julen Lopetegui could still make changes against Arsenal despite the Irons’ statement victory this week.
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