Declan Rice’s stunning free-kick against Real Madrid has earned him a nomination for the 2025 FIFA Puskas Award.
The Arsenal midfielder is among 11 players shortlisted for the honour, which recognises the most outstanding goal scored across world football during the 2024-25 season.
Rice’s nomination comes for his second free-kick in last season’s Champions League quarter-final first leg, when he bent a spectacular strike beyond Thibaut Courtois to seal a memorable 3-0 win for Mikel Arteta’s side at the Emirates Stadium.
It was a moment that summed up Arsenal’s dominance that night and showcased Rice’s growing influence since his move from West Ham United.
The FIFA Puskás Award 2025 nominees! 💫
Watch all the goals and cast your vote! 🗳️
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 13, 2025
The strike was widely shared across social media and praised for its blend of precision, power and technique — characteristics that match FIFA’s description of a Puskas-worthy goal: beautiful, fair and free of fortune.
Barcelona’s teenage star Lamine Yamal is also on the shortlist for his curling effort against Espanyol, which clinched the La Liga title for his side.
Other nominees include Alessandro Deiola of Cagliari, Mamelodi Sundowns’ Lucas Ribeiro and Seattle Sounders forward Pedro de la Vega.
The winner will be determined through a combination of fan votes and selections by a panel of FIFA Legends, with results announced at The Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony next year. The voting period covers goals scored between 11 August 2024 and 2 August 2025.
Rice becomes the latest Arsenal player to receive recognition for a moment of individual brilliance.
Olivier Giroud famously won the 2017 Puskas Award for his acrobatic scorpion kick against Crystal Palace, while other past winners include Mohamed Salah, Son Heung-min and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The nomination caps off an impressive year for Rice, who has become a mainstay in Arsenal’s midfield and a driving force behind their domestic and European ambitions.
Should he win, Rice would become only the second Arsenal player to claim the award — and his extraordinary strike against Real Madrid would take its place among the club’s most unforgettable European goals.