Declan Rice’s second free-kick in Arsenal’s 3-0 Champions League quarter-final first leg has been shortlisted for the 2025 FIFA Puskas Award.
Established in 2009, the award honours the most aesthetically pleasing goal of the year – and Rice’s strike certainly qualifies.
Having already opened the scoring with a gorgeous curler that wrong-footed Thibaut Courtois, he repeated the feat 12 minutes later, this time from even further out, picking out the top corner with outrageous precision. Arsenal went on to win 3-0, before completing the job in Madrid with a 2-1 victory.
Rice becomes the fourth Gunner to receive a nomination for the Puskas Award, following Emmanuel Adebayor (2009 vs Villarreal), Samir Nasri (2010 vs Porto) and Olivier Giroud, whose unforgettable scorpion kick in 2017 won the award.
A goal against Arsenal – Eric Lamela’s rabona in a defeat for Spurs in the north London derby – also won in 2021, arguably the Sp*rs-iest ‘victory’ of all time.
Congrats to Declan – win or not, it’s a strike destined for Arsenal folklore.
The winner will be chosen through a 50/50 split between fan votes and a panel of “FIFA Legends”, with the award presented at The Best FIFA Football Awards 2025.
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FIFA Puskas Award nominees
Alessandro Deiola, Cagliari v. Venezia, 18 May 2025
Pedro de la Vega, Cruz Azul v. Seattle Sounders, 31 July 2025
Santiago Montiel, Independiente v. Independiente Rivadavia, 11 May 2025
Amr Nasser, Al Ahly v. Pharco, 17 April 2025
Carlos Orrantía, Querétaro v. Atlas, 16 April 2025
Lucas Ribeiro, Mamelodi Sundowns v. Borussia Dortmund, 21 June 2025
Declan Rice, Arsenal v. Real Madrid, 8 April 2025
Rizky Ridho, Persija Jakarta v. Arema, 9 March 2025
Kévin Rodrigues, Kasımpaşa v. Rizespor, 9 Feb 2025
Lamine Yamal, Espanyol v. Barcelona, 15 May 2025