Rooney, Messi vie for FIFA award

Posted Tuesday, November 22, 2011 by ESPN

Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Wayne Rooney are all on the shortlist to win the 2011 FIFA Puskas award, given for the best goal scored.

The Barcelona star was nominated for his strike against Arsenal in last season's edition of the UEFA Champions League, while Rooney is in the spotlight for his memorable overhead kick goal against Manchester City to give the Red Devils' a 2-1 victory at Old Trafford.

Two other overhead kicks also earned Julio Gomez and Lisandro a spot in the top ten, as the duo scored against Germany for Mexico, and Olimpo for Argentine side Arsenal respectively.

Much-sought after Brazilian star Neymar is also vying for the award, thanks to his solo goal against Flamengo for Santos.
Serie A is also represented by Inter Milan's Dejan Stankovic, who scored with an audacious volley from 50 yards against against Schalke in the Campions League.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic also flies the flag for the Italian domestic league, for his goal against Lecce, while Benjamin De Ceulaer was chosen for his effort for Lokeren against Bruges in a Belgian League fixture.

Woman's football also has a representative in the form of Heather O'Reilly, who has received kudos for her long-range strike against Colombia in the Women's World Cup.

Voters can select their picks on FIFA's official website until 5 Dec, and the top three candidates with the most votes will be revealed. They can then vote between the trio until the 2011 FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala on 9 Jan to pick up the ultimate winner of the FIFA Puskas award.

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