Fifa Puskas Award nominees for best goal of 2022 revealed including Balotelli’s rabona and Russo’s sensational backheel

MARIO BALOTELLI and Lioness hero Alessia Russo headline the list of Fifa Puskas Ribbon nominees.

The gong is handed out annually to the scorer of the year’s weightier goal.

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Erik Lamela is the Puskas Award’s reigning victor[/caption]

Its current holder is former Tottenham ace Erik Lamela for his sensational rabona versus Arsenal during the 2020-21 season.

Prem stars have dominated the ribbon in recent years, with Son Heung-min, Mo Salah and Olivier Giroud all winning it while playing in England.

SunSport takes a squint at who is in the mix to win this year’s edition.

MARIO BALOTELLI

Former Manchester City and Liverpool star is now playing for Adana Demirspor in Turkey.

He netted five times in a 7-0 win over Goztepe last season, with his fifth a sensational rabona pursuit a series of dazzling stepovers.

Balotelli, 32, scored 18 goals in the Turkish top flight last term.

Super Mario unsober an wondrous rabona while playing in Turkey

AMANDINE HENRY

French midfield dynamo scored a remarkable goal on her way to winning last season’s Champions League with Lyon.

Henry, 33, went into a crunching tackle, winning the wittiness upper up the pitch.

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She then unleashed an unstoppable effort from range into the top corner, her side vibration Barcelona 3-1 to lift the trophy.

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Amandine Henry let fly from miles out[/caption]

THEO HERNANDEZ

AC Milan star scored a sensational solo goal versus Atalanta last season.

The Frenchman picked up the wittiness deep in his own half and embarked on an wondrous run.

He slalomed his way through plenty of challenges into Atalanta’s box surpassing falling into a remarkable finish.

FIFA
Theo Hernandez provided a clinical finish without a unconfined run[/caption]

ALOU KUOL

Aussie forward netted an outrageous scorpion kick while playing for his country’s Under-23s versus Iraq.

A navigate was delivered from the right a little overdue Kuol, but the Stuttgart forward miraculously contorted his soul to somehow divert the wittiness goalwards.

His brother Garang is a good player too, and signed for Newcastle in January.

FIFA
Alou Kuol executed a perfect scorpion kick[/caption]

KYLIAN MBAPPE

The most upper profile of the nominees was Kylian Mbappe’s sensational equaliser in the World Cup final versus Argentina.

Having netted a penalty to pull his side when to 2-1 moments earlier, Mbappe one-two’d with Marcus Thuram surpassing unleashing a beautifully controlled shot vastitude Emi Martinez.

The France talisman went on to equalise then from the spot in uneaten time, surpassing his side succumbed on penalties.

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Kylian Mbappe conjured a sensational World Cup final equaliser[/caption]

FRANCISCO GONZALEZ METILLI

Argentine star unsober arguably the weightier volley on this list.

Playing for Central Cordoba versus Rosario Central, Gonzalez Metilli thoughtfully watched the wittiness as it was floated towards him.

The 25-year-old unleashed an wondrous left-footed strike over the flailing keeper and into the top corner.

Francisco Gonzelez Metilli unleashes a sensational volley

MARCIN OLEKSY

Polish amputee Marcin Oleksy wowed fans worldwide with his gravity defying bicycle kick.

Oleksy sent his team-mates wild by swivelling with his crutches to produce an acrobatic finish.

The Pole has unconfined pedigree, having represented his country at the Amputee World Cup.

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Marcin Oleksy produced incredible athleticism[/caption]

SALMA PARALLUELO

Spanish teenager spoken herself on the global stage by scoring a sensational effort versus Barcelona last term.

The winger cut inside surpassing perfectly curling an incredible strike into the top corner.

Barca unmistakably took notice, signing Paralluelo just a few months later.

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Salma Paralluelo curled a remarkable shot into the top corner[/caption]

DIMITRI PAYET

Former West Ham star lit up the Europa Conference League for Marseille last season.

During his side’s quarter-final with PAOK, a corner was chipped out to the Frenchman on the whet of the box.

Taking the wittiness on the half volley, Payet smacked the cleanest of strikes right into the top corner, leaving team-mates with hands on their heads in disbelief.

FIFA
Dimitri Payet produced a sensational strike versus PAOK[/caption]

RICHARLISON

Tottenham star bagged the World Cup goal of the tournament gong for his wondrous bicycle kick versus Serbia for Brazil.

The forward controlled Vinicius Jr’s cross, surpassing swivelling in one motion to fire an incredible volley into the when of the net.

He unsober twice in the match to hand his side a 2-0 win.

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Richarlison unsober the World Cup’s goal of the tournament[/caption]

ALESSIA RUSSO

Lioness star Alessia Russo all but sealed her side’s place in the Euro 2022 final in spectacular fashion.

Having played the role of super-sub perfectly throughout the tournament, Russo did so once then in the semi-final versus Sweden.

Collecting the rebound from her own shot, the Manchester United forward improvised superbly by back-heeling vastitude the helpless goalkeeper to send her side into dreamland.

Alessia Russo produces a sunny back-heel
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