Alejandro Garnacho
Alejandro Garnacho won FIFA Puskas Award
Alejandro Garnacho has won the FIFA Puskas Award for the best goal following his remarkable overhead kick against Everton last year.
The Manchester United star netted the sensational goal against the Toffees at Goodison Park on November 26 last year - beating off competition from 11 other strikers to win the award. Garnacho sent a stunning bicycle kick effort beyond Jordan Pickford and into the top corner following a cross from Diogo Dalot in the third minute of the match.
Receiving the award at the FIFA Best Gala on Tuesday night, Garnacho said: "Diogo crossed the ball, and it was a little bit behind me, so it was impossible for a header.
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"When the ball was in the air, I thought it was the moment to go for it. I had tried this technique so many times in training. I thought, ‘This is the time to do it, to see what happens.' And I scored, so it was perfect!"
Captain Bruno Fernandes joked at the time that the goal was a long time coming for the Argentina international while also revealing he attempted similar finishes in training. "It was not just Bruno!" Garnacho continued.
"More people said, ‘Why are you always trying this, just head the ball!’ I said, ‘Relax, I am trying to do my thing.’ When I scored, I said to them, ‘This is why I’m training this finish every time!’
"After the goal, my team-mates had their hands on their heads. They were like, ‘How did you do this?’ Then my family and everyone texted me [after the game]. It was incredible."
Garnacho was dropped from Ruben Amorim's matchday squad for the Manchester derby win over Manchester City on Sunday. The Portuguese head coach stated it was not a 'disciplinary thing' but rather 'small details.'
"Selection," Amorim said. "We try to evaluate everything: training, performance, game performance, engagement with the team-mates, pushing the team-mates up. Everything is on the line when we analyse and try to choose the players, so that is my selection. Simple.
"I don’t want to send a message. It’s simply an evaluation, and they know it. The players are really, really smart. Everybody understands my decision. I have to choose. It’s just simple selection."