PETALING JAYA: The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) will be nominating Pahang defender Herold Goulon’s goal for the International Football Federation’s (Fifa) Puskas Award
yesterday.
FAM secretary-general Stuart Ramalingam said the parent body agreed to send the nomination after receiving support from Pahang Football Association president Tengku Abdul Rahman Almarhum Sultan Ahmad Shah.
“Pahang have given FAM the green light to submit (the nomination of) the goal to Fifa, and FAM will send a nomination letter and a video of the goal to Fifa,” he told reporters after a press conference held in conjunction with the Asian Eleven programme at Wisma FAM, Kelana Jaya here, yesterday.
In the meantime, Stuart said FAM did not view Goulon’s foreign nationality as a reason not to nominate the player for the Puskas Award. – Bernama
He cited Spanish club Barcelona’s nomination of Brazilian striker Neymar’s goal, while the latter was playing with the club.
Goulon, 31, scored through a brilliant freekick taken about 50m away from goal, which went past the reach of Perak goalkeeper Hafizul Hakim Khairul Nizam Jothy during Pahang’s 3-1 win over Perak in the FA Cup semi-final at Stadium Darul Makmur, Kuantan, on Saturday.
The goal has since received widespread coverage around the world, with many media agencies describing the goal as one of the best goals this season.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustaffa Billah Shah, recently described Goulon’s goal worthy of being nominated for the Puskas Award.
Goulon’s goal is the second one nominated by FAM for the Puskas Award this year after national winger Muhammad Syahmi Safari’s stunner in March.
Muhammad Syahmi, 21, scored the goal during Malaysia’s 2-2 draw against Thailand in the second leg of the 2018 AFF Suzuki Cup semi-finals in Bangkok.
Former Penang player Mohd Faiz Subri made history when he became the first Malaysian to receive the Fifa Puskas Award in 2016.
Introduced by FIFA in 2009, the Puskas Award is bestowed upon the player adjudged to have scored the best goal of the year. – Bernama
