With Arsenal taking on Crystal Palace back-to-back in just three days’ time, here is look at the first time an EPL goal won the Puskas award
The Puskas award was introduced in 2009, and it’s been 15 years since jaw-dropping goals have been nominated for the coveted prize. The award also puts unknown leagues/players on the map, since any professional football league can have their goals registered to be nominated for the same.
Although the very first year it was introduced, it was an English Premier League player who won the award – Cristiano Ronaldo, it took 8-9 more years by the time an EPL goal won the Puskas Award.
Cristiano Ronaldo had won the award for his strike against Porto in the UEFA Champions League for Manchester United, back in 2009. The Red Devils went on to the finals of the tournament, before losing to Barcelona.
Olivier Giroud’s scorpion kick goal was the first EPL goal to win the Puskas Award
It was the first matchday of 2017 for Arsenal. After a rather strong beginning which fizzled out towards the end of 2016, Arsenal were looking to get back on track. And they were provided with one of the best impetuses possible through an absolute stunner from then-striker Olivier Giroud. After winning the ball through Lucas Perez’s hardwork, the Gunners’ attack comprising of Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez, Alexander Iwobi, Giroud and Perez himself made a run towards the scoring box. However, it was Sanchez who was set up for the cross through Iwobi.
By the time the Chilean had set himself up in the crossing position, Giroud’s darting run placed him in the right position to receive the ball. The cross came in clean as expected, but Giroud had other plans, as he unexpectedly pulled off a stunning scorpion kick to put Arsenal 1-0 up. The whole stadium held their breath in awe looking at what they had witnessed, even as two iconic commentators Martin Tyler and Jon Champion (across different feeds) showered the Frenchman with praise.
Arsenal then eased to a victory after Iwobi doubled the Gunners’ lead in the second half. The goal went on to win the Puskas Award 2017, and it started off a trend of EPL goals winning the awards quite often.
The 2018 Puskas Award was an EPL goal as well
Although it is considered to be one of the most undeserved goals to have won the award (Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale fans seething), it marked the second time an EPL goal won the Puskas Award. Two years later, in 2020, Son Heung-min won the award for his stunning solo goal. The 2021 award belonged to a Tottenham Hotspur player as well, as Erik Lamela got his hands on the prize for his rabona effort in the North London derby.
After a two-year absence, the Puskas Award once again returned to the English Premier League, courtesy of Alejandro Garnacho’s stunning bicycle kick goal against Everton in November 2023.