Ireland’s Stephanie Roche has been short-listed for FIFA’s Puskás Award following a worldwide poll of the top ten goals from the 2013-14 season.
The 25-year-old Women’s National Team striker is the first women ever to make the top three in the FIFA Goal of the Year and will battle it out with Colombia’s James Rodríguez and Netherlands Robin van Persie in a new global poll to determine who will be presented with the Puskás Award at the FIFA Ballon d’Or award ceremony at the Kongresshaus in Zurich on January 12, 2015. The new poll will open later today and close during the live television show on January 12. Votes can be cast at fifa.com/puskas
Roche, whose goal for Peamount United against Wexford Youth in the Continental Tyres Women’s National League in October 2013 was already an internet sensation, said she was delighted to have made the top three.
“Obviously it this is fantastic for me so I owe a lot of thanks to everybody who has voted for me and who has been behind me. It has been fantastic. I am just delighted I actually get to go to the awards so thanks and maybe I can go and win it now.”
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The Women’s National Team striker had been one of ten nominees whose goals were the subject of the global vote and the seven other players nominated in the Top Ten were: Tim Cahill (Australia), Diego Costa (Spain), Marco Fabián (Mexico), Zlatan Ibrahimovi? (Sweden), Pajtim Kasami (Switzerland), Camilo Sanvezzo (Brazil) and Hisato Sat? (Japan).
During the televised ceremony on January 12, the winner of the FIFA Ballon d’Or for the best player of 2014 and the winner of the FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year 2014 award will also be revealed, while the FIFA World Coach of the Year awards for men’s and women’s football will be announced for the fifth time. The FIFA Puskás Award for the best goal of the year, the FIFA Presidential Award, and the FIFA Fair Play Award will also be presented during the award ceremony.
