Twenty-five-year-old Independiente winger Santiago Montiel has been awarded the 2025 FIFA Puskás Award for his spectacular long-range bicycle-kick goal scored earlier this year in the Argentine Primera División.
The accolade, presented at FIFA’s The Best ceremony in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday, celebrates the most visually stunning goal of the season.
The recipient was determined through a combination of fan votes and input from an expert panel.
Montiel’s remarkable strike came on May 11, 2025, during a league clash with Independiente Rivadavia at the Estadio Libertadores de América.
With the score locked at 0–0, a cleared corner fell to Montiel just outside the penalty area. In a display of boldness, he executed an acrobatic overhead kick, sending the ball into the top corner from more than 20 yards out.
The goal gave Independiente a 1–0 win and has since been hailed as a “goal for the ages,” earning comparisons with some of football’s most iconic strikes.
Montiel’s effort narrowly surpassed tough contenders, including Barcelona teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice, and Persija Jakarta defender Rizky Ridho.
In the women’s category, Mexican star Lizbeth Ovalle was recognised for her scorpion kick as the best goal of the year.
This marks the second year in a row an Argentine has claimed the Puskás Award, following Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho in 2024.
Named in honour of Hungarian football legend Ferenc Puskás, the award has been presented annually since 2009 to celebrate creativity and skill in goal-scoring, irrespective of the competition. Past winners include global stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Mohamed Salah.
