logo
logo
Some outrageous bangers were scored in Madrid this week

A definitive list of 2026’s Puskas Award contenders ft. Arda Guler’s insane wondergoal

Nestor Watach β€’
Add as a preferred source on Google

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.

It’s still early days for the 2026 award, but who are the contenders so far? 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 knowΒ @planetfutebol, and keep checking back as we’ll be keeping this updated.

Nahuel Molina

One of the finest hits of a football you will ever see.

Arda Guler

β€œYou have to bring a frame and put it in a picture frame. It’s an unusual thing. Wonderful,” says Alvaro Arbeloa.

“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
by
u/Delmer9713 in
soccer

Federico Valverde

Some week for Real Madrid.

Imagine scoring a goal this good to cap off a hat-trick. In the first half of a massive Champions League knockout match.

We’d have simply ascended to another realm.

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.

Luka Stojkovic

This one might drop out of the running by the time the shortlist gets compiled in the Autumn, but it’s an early contender.

The skip inside is nice. The shot is beautiful. Absolutely perfect.

Genk 1-[3] Dinamo Zagreb – Luka StojkoviΔ‡ great goal 75′ | agg. 4-[4]
by
u/4gjdtokurwa in
soccer

Rafa Silva

*Rabona Goal Klaxon*

A lovely bit of improvisation.

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.

Anton Stach

This genuinely isn’t far off the Declan Rice effort that was shortlisted last season.

Not the same stage or the same stakes, admittedly, but purely as a goal it’s out of this world. Only an insane effort would’ve beaten Emiliano Martinez from there, and he somehow pulls it off.

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 DembΓ©lé’s opening goal vs Lille (Jan 16, 2026)
by
u/Obviously_0bvious in
soccer

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?

Lists And Rankings