‘Worst Puskas goal ever?’ Internet incredulous as Salah wins FIFA best goal award ahead of stunners
Internet users have reacted with surprise after Liverpool and Egypt star Mohamed Salah was awarded the FIFA Puskas award for goal of the season for his effort against Everton last season.
Salah topped a vote on the FIFA website for his moment of individual brilliance against Liverpool’s Merseyside rivals, when he picked the ball up on the edge of the Everton box before shrugging off his marker and curling the ball into the top corner.
READ MORE: Salah beats Ronaldo & Bale to win FIFA Puskas Award for goal of the year (VIDEO)
It was a goal of undoubted quality – although some have questioned whether it was worthy of the goal of the season accolade, given the level of competition on the list.
This goal by Mohamed Salah has won the Puskas award, congrats, @MoSalah! pic.twitter.com/0x6dLev2jg
— Anfield Express (@AnfieldExpress) September 24, 2018
That included overhead kick stunners from Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale in last season’s Champions League, as well as sublime efforts at the World Cup from France’s Benjamin Pavard – which won goal of the tournament – and Russia’s Denis Cheryshev.
After Salah was announced as the winner, social media users tweeted a collective outpouring of confusion, with some saying it was the “worst Puskas goal ever.”
Mo Salah has probably been given this award as compensation because that's the worst goal to win a Puskas ever #FIFAFootballAwards
— Hasan H (@NvHazz) September 24, 2018
Salah just won the Puskas award for a goal that wasn’t even the best one scored in a Liverpool match pic.twitter.com/4oIfNkTAFa
— Andy Castell (@AJ3) September 24, 2018
Who else thinks Mo Salah doesn’t deserve winning the Puskas Award ahead of these other goals below#FIFAFootballAwards #TheBestpic.twitter.com/ClsV4voK7V
— Anda (@LazyWrita) September 24, 2018
Everyone that voted for salah's goal should be identified and flogged publicly
— Blu Cabana (@ZionBadMan) September 24, 2018
Genuinely asking - is Salah's goal the worst Puskas awarded goal of all time?
— MP (@elsaetarubia) September 24, 2018
Loved Salah's goal but in no way was it better than Ronaldo's and Bale's overhead kicks!
— Sripad (@falsewinger) September 24, 2018
Others said that the goal wasn’t even the best of the 44 that Salah scored in his record-breaking season for the Reds.
Salah’s goal to win the award tonight wasn’t even his best goal last season. So many better.
— Darren Lewis (@MirrorDarren) September 24, 2018
Salah winning Puskas award for a goal that Messi scores on regular bases? Wut?
— BlaugranaHome 🎗️ (@BlaugranaHome) September 24, 2018
Salah wins the #Puskas award... Is this some april fool's joke or what pic.twitter.com/FSIspjrrcB
— FootyStreams (@FutbalStreaming) September 24, 2018
Mo Salah's goal against Everton has won the Puskas award... Over both Gareth Bale's and CR7's overhead kicks. #FIFAFootballAwardspic.twitter.com/4dInirBJYE
— Cam Chapman (@CamChappers) September 24, 2018
However, Salah and his fans will point to the fact that the award was voted for by football supporters on the official FIFA website, meaning it was ultimately the people's choice.
Salah was absent on the list of the FIFPro XI team of the year, but was up for the FIFA Best Men's Player accoldade later in the night, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric.
