Arda Guler leads the way…
Last year, Independiente winger Santiago Montiel won FIFA’s Puskas Award for the best goal of the year, beating the likes of Arsenal’s Declan Rice and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal to the prestigious prize.
Who are the contenders for this year’s award? We’ve done some digging and put together a shortlist of every goal worthy of being nominated later this year.
Here’s every contender for the 2026 Puskas Award. Think we’ve missed one? Let us know @planetfutebol, and keep checking back as we’ll be keeping this updated.
Harrison Reed
The 2025-26 Premier League goal of the season.
Coming from the most unlikely source makes it even better.
Every angle of THAT Harrison Reed strike 😱@FulhamFC pic.twitter.com/nacPUCEeAw
— Premier League (@premierleague) January 4, 2026
Nahuel Molina
One of the finest hits of a football you will ever see.
A goal of the season contender from Nahuel Molina! 🤯
What a strike to deliver the win for Atletico Madrid 🚀
𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 @sbk | 18+ | 𝑃𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝐺𝑎𝑚𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑦 pic.twitter.com/OYR8Uc68KK
— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) March 14, 2026
Arda Guler
“You have to bring a frame and put it in a picture frame. It’s an unusual thing. Wonderful,” said former Los Blancos boss Alvaro Arbeloa at the time.
“I’ve seen everyone throw their hands up in amazement, me too. It’s worth having paid for a ticket, or two or three, to see what he’s done.”
No arguments here.
Alternate Angles of Arda Guler’s long range goal against Elche
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Michael Folorunsho
Puskas Award contenders should take your breath away, an example of something extraordinary you seldom ever see, and this is certainly that.
It’s not often, but you do get the odd goal scored from this impossible position. Almost all of those are mishit crosses that catch out a poor, stranded goalkeeper.
Watch this one twice. Look at Folorunsho’s body shape. This is unquestionably a shot. An absolutely brilliant strike.
A truly unbelievable strike from Michael Folorunsho 🤩#ParmaCagliari pic.twitter.com/3kY3Hkxs1C
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) February 28, 2026
Rafa Silva
*Rabona Goal Klaxon*
A lovely bit of improvisation.
Benfica (3)-0 AVS
⚽ Rafa Silva 43′
pic.twitter.com/IOlcyMYuws— PortugueseSoccer.com ⚽️ (@PsoccerCOM) February 21, 2026
Dominic Solanke
One of those great goals that’s made 10 times better by viewing it in slo-mo.
Bonus points for it beating the 6’5″ frame of Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Goal of the season locked in? 🦂 pic.twitter.com/cdSG4DjFu3
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) February 1, 2026
Ousmane Dembele
Cristiano Ronaldo is the only man who can boast both the Ballon d’Or and Puskas Award.
This probably won’t be quite enough for Dembele to become the second, but it’s worthy of a place on the shortlist at the very least. Poetry in motion.
[PSG Official] Cinematic look at Ousmane Dembélé’s opening goal vs Lille (Jan 16, 2026)
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Sidny Lopes Cabral
Not to be a total killjoy, but it’s probably fair to say that this isn’t quite one of the best 12 goals scored anywhere across world football in 2026.
But that would be ignoring the context. Doing this. For Cape Verde. Against the reigning champions Argentina. In a World Cup knockout match?
The stuff of dreams. The goal of the 2026 World Cup will surely deservedly be on the shortlist.
A goal that captured your hearts. 💙⚽️
Sidny Lopes Cabral is your Hyundai GOTT Round of 32 winner and advances to the final vote.#FIFAWorldCup #Hyundai #HyundaiGOTT2026 #GoalOfTheTournament @Hyundai_Global pic.twitter.com/3cEDG0zwWw
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 6, 2026
Dominik Szoboszlai
Pure filth. Simple as that.
Stop that Dominik Szoboszlai. pic.twitter.com/szviSUZ3rd
— Stop That Football (@stopthatfooty) September 16, 2026
Joao Cancelo
João Cancelo scores a screamer! 🤯
His long-range effort crashes off the crossbar and in to put Barcelona 1-0 up 🔵🔴 pic.twitter.com/EKh7a0VtQP
— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) September 16, 2026
READ NEXT: All 11 nominated goals for the 2025 Puskas Award RANKED: Yamal 9th, Rice 5th…
TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every winner of the FIFA Puskas Award?
