This Was the World's Best Soccer Goal Last Year

Olivier Giroud wins FIFA's Puskas Award
By Michael Harthorne,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 24, 2017 5:00 PM CDT

Low scores and 0-0 ties notwithstanding, many, many goals were scored by soccer players around the world in 2017—and none were better than the one flicked in by Arsenal's Olivier Giroud in a January match against Crystal Palace, at least according to FIFA. Digg reports FIFA handed the annual Puskas Award to Giroud on Monday. The award is given to the best professional goal scored by any professional player, man or woman, in the world.

"I'm delighted to receive this trophy today in front of legends of football," ESPN quotes Giroud as saying during a ceremony attended by Diego Maradona, Ronaldo, and others. "Obviously I would like to thank my teammates, without them I couldn't score maybe this goal, and my family." Giroud also congratulated his 10 fellow nominees for the 2017 Puskas Award. Watch all 10 nominated goals here. (More soccer stories.)

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