Who is the winner of the Puskás Prize?

Daniel Zsori could not have a more perfect debut in football. Zsori, a Romanian by birth, was participating for the first time in the match where his team Debreceni, drew 1-1 with the Hungarian league leader, Ferencvaros.

It was the 89th minute and the game was over. However, the coach, András Herczeg, called Zsori to participate in the last minutes. The 90 minute came, and the match referee decided to add three more minutes.

Three minutes that would completely change the course of the game. About minute 92, almost 93, Zsori receives an extraordinary pass from the left of the field. In seconds, Zsori scores the second goal for Debreceni. The goal of triumph.

That goal, made on February 16, 2019, was the reason why he was one of the ten nominees for the Puskás award, one of the most important awards in the world of football. In this way, he managed to be among the three nominees.

Not only the decision of the judges and experts selected this goal as the best, because football fans also had the opportunity to vote for him, through the official website of the event and until September 1.

The Hungarian snatched the prize from Colombian Juan Fernando Quintero, current River Plate player; and the Argentine Lionel Messi, star of Barcelona. It was the first time that the Colombian received a nomination and the seventh for the Argentine. 

When announcing the winner, Messi's reaction attracted attention in social networks, since the Argentine received the news with a serious gesture. He didn't make any kind of congratulations, he didn't even applaud him.

Read also: Cristiano Ronaldo: "I deserve more Golden Balls than Messi"

CR7's influence

The young striker who participated in the 2018-2019 Debreceni season, now militates under the ranks of the team that scored the goal: Fehérvár. Zsori is the second Hungarian player who has been awarded the prize, after Ferenc Puskas, one of the best players according to UEFA and FIFA, recognized him as the top scorer of the century in 2004. It is for this distinction that since the 2009-2010 season, FIFA awards the Puskas Prize.

Despite having the figure of one of the greatest soccer stars as a role model, the Hungarian preferred to go another way. This is because in an interview with FIFA, Zsori revealed that he practiced “the movement many times in my training sessions and I copied it from my idol Cristiano Ronaldo. I held my breath for a moment while the ball flew towards the goal. ”

The truth is that from this moment, Zsori's career will only take off, in this new stage as Fehérvár striker he will have to give his maximum performance to be able to gain a position within the initial eleven.

The other winners

The 'The Best' Awards, held at the Teatro de La Scala, in Milan, Italy, also awarded the best goalkeeper, best player, best coach, among others. Here is the full list of winners:

The Best FIFA 2019 for Best Player

• Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

The Best FIFA for Best Player

• Megan Rapinoe (Reign FC)

The Best FIFA for Best Coach

• Jurgen Kloppe

The Best FIFA for the Best Coach

• Jill Ellis

The Best FIFA for Best Goalkeeper

• Alisson

The Best FIFA for Best Goalkeeper

• Sari Van Veenendal