All goals are incredible, but there are some undeniably epic goalpost moments that deserve a toss in the air, and those goals eventually win the FIFA Puskas Award. FIFA established this award in 2009 to recognize the player who scored the most aesthetically significant goal of the calendar year.
It is named after Ferenc Puskas, a famous striker for Real Madrid in the late 1950s and early 1960s, as well as a key member of the highly successful Hungarian team of the same era. Many considered Ferenc to be the most powerful and prolific forward European football produced in first division. Only one World Cup goal has been recognized since the award's inception 13 years ago.
Volleyball, James Rodriguez (2014 World Cup)
The Colombian international was a breakout star at the 2014 World Cup, scoring six goals and winning the Golden Boot. Many consider his volleyed opening goal against Uruguay in the round of 16 to be one of the greatest goals in World Cup history.
After a header by Abel Aguilar, the ball came to the playmaker at around 25-30 yards out, and he controlled it with his chest before swiveling and attacking it with a left-footed volley. The ball flew through the air and looped over Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, giving Colombia the lead. That incredible goal not only earned him the Puskas award, but his overall performance sparked a change.It goes without saying that no other World Cup goal has received the Puskas award before or after James Rodriguez's strike. Will there be a goal worthy of winning this iconic award while the 2022 World Cup tournament is still ongoing?
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As Japan and Spain advanced after a dramatic Group E finale on Thursday, Joshua Kimmich described Germany's humiliating World Cup exit as the worst moment of his career.
Germany began their final match against Costa Rica knowing that a win would almost certainly get them into the last 16 if Japan failed to beat Spain, and Hansi Flick's men delivered with a 4-2 victory.
However, Ritsu Doan and Ao Tanaka scored as Japan staged an incredible comeback to defeat La Roja, ensuring Japan emerged as group winners and ending Germany's bid for a fifth World Cup triumph.Germany has now failed to advance past the group stage in three consecutive World Cups after doing so in each of their previous 16 appearances, leaving Kimmich devastated.
"This is the worst day of my career, in my opinion." "I'm afraid I'm going to fall down a hole," Kimmich told reporters. "It leads you to believe that these failures are linked to my person.
"This is without a doubt the most difficult day of my career." The second time we were eliminated from a World Cup, we were eliminated early in the Euros."That is a bitter pill to swallow, and there have been many missed opportunities in the last four years."
Germany reached the semi-finals of Kimmich's first major tournament, Euro 2016, but they have since failed to advance past the first round of two World Cups and lost to England in the Euro 2020 last-16.Costa Rica took a surprise lead when Manuel Neuer put through his own net with 20 minutes remaining on Thursday, and Germany has now gone 12 major tournament games (World Cup/Euros) without a clean sheet - their longest such streak.
Ilkay Gundogan, Kimmich's teammate, slammed Die Nationalmannschaft's defending and urged his teammates to reflect on their shortcomings.
"We concede goals too easily, lose balls too easily, and miss goalscoring chances too easily up front," Gundogan said."Of course, as Germany, we must have different aspirations, so we must examine ourselves carefully."
"We simply did not do our best as a group, or perhaps individually." We have to ask why, and everyone has to look in the mirror and tell themselves that it wasn't enough."
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