UEFA has announced its shortlist for the Goal of the Season award for 2020-21, with Paul Pogba, Dele Alli and Patrik Schick all in with a chance of winning the top prize.
The award, given to the scorer of the best goal in any UEFA competition during the season, has been won by either Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi in four of the last five campaigns.
However, neither the Barcelona nor Juventus superstars feature in UEFA’s 10-goal shortlist this time around, with a combination of world-class team goals and incredible solo efforts compiled in the shortlist.
UEFA has announced its shortlist for the Goal of the Season across its competitions in 2020-21
Paul Pogba’s thunderous strike against Switzerland at Euro 2020 features in the 10-goal list
Pogba may have been on the losing side in France’s shock Euro 2020 last-16 exit to Switzerland, but he contributed one of the goals of the tournament with a sensational effort from distance.
Karim Benzema saw an effort on goal blocked by Arsenal star Granit Xhaka, the ball then breaking for Pogba who controlled the ball, took one touch out of his feet before bending a rocket into the top corner, leaving Yann Sommer with no chance in goal.
Two other strikes from this summer’s European Championship feature in UEFA’s list of nominees, including Schick’s mind-boggling long-range effort against Scotland.
Dele Alli had a poor season at Spurs but his overhead kick against Wolfsberger makes the list
Patrik Schick’s goal against Scotland will go down as one of the best scored at the Euros
The Czech Republic striker launched a long range effort that beat David Marshall at Hampden
The Czech Republic striker ran onto a loose ball after the breakdown of a Scottish attack. Taking a quick glance at goalkeeper David Marshall – who was off his line – Schick fired from just past the halfway line first time.
The ball began its journey from outside the width of the goalposts before marvellously bending back in and Marshall could do nothing to keep the ball out of his goal as he crashed into the net in emphatic fashion.
Lorenzo Insigne ended up taking the European Championship trophy home with him to Italy, but he also returned to Rome with one of the goals of the competition, scored against Belgium in the quarter-final.
Picking up the ball on the left hand side, the Napoli man skipped past the challenge of Youri Tielemans before letting rip with a curling right-footed effort that goalkeeping giant Thibaut Cortouis could do nothing to keep out.
Lorenzo Insigne won the Euros with Italy and his goal against Belgium has been nominated
Medhi Taremi scored a sublime overhead kick against Chelsea, but it was a mere consolation
Two goals from the Champions League feature in this year’s shortlist – one apiece from the men’s and women’s competitions.
Medhi Taremi will feel aggrieved that his stunning bicycle kick against Chelsea was nothing more than a consolation.
Two down on aggregate, Taremi met a cross from the right with a crisply-struck acrobatic effort that left Edouard Mendy stranded in goal, fuming that his side conceded in the final minute of the 180-minute affair. The Blues advanced 2-1 on aggregate and won the tournament.
Sarah Zadrazil’s goal for Bayern Munich in the semi-final of the Champions League kept the Germans’ faint hopes alive, but they also succumbed to Chelsea. A short corner was cleared only as far as the Austrian, who rifled the ball on the half-volley into the top corner.
The Europa League contains three nominees this season, with English duo Alli and Kemar Roofe featuring on the shortlist.
Sarah Zadrazil’s stunning volley against Chelsea in the Champions League semis makes the list
Kemar Roofe also scored a sensational goal from the halfway line against Standard Liege
Alli spent much of last season frustrated, watching on as Jose Mourinho continued to snub him, but he showed his worth against Wolfsberg in the last-32. Alli started and finished a move in which he teed up a cross from Matt Doherty on the right before firing an overhead kick beyond the keeper.
Roofe’s goal bears comparison to Schick’s although the Rangers star had to work much harder for his strike against Standard Liege in their Group Stage game.
The former Leeds man shrugged off a challenge, skipped past a tackle and then, with no team-mates in front of him, unleashed an effort from behind the halfway line that inexplicably beat the Belgian goalkeeper.
Rounding off the Europa League nominees is a strike from Paulinho for Braga against Leicester. While the majority of the goals listed so far have been fine solo efforts, the Portuguese’s strike was the culmination of wonderful teamwork.
Braga striker Paulinho capped off a fine attacking move against Leicester in the Europa League
Germany’s U21s also scored a swashbuckling goal, scored by Florian Wirtz this summer
Ferrao’s volley for Barcelona in the Futsal Champions League rounds out the top 10 goals
Paulhinho, Ricardo Horta and Iuri Medeiros interchanged quick and incisive passes to slice through the Foxes defence, before Horta teed up his strike partner who made no mistake in dispatching beyond Kasper Schmeichel.
A similarly exquisite team goal from Germany’s Under-21 side also features on the list in the form of Florian Wirtz’s goal against the Netherlands in the Euro U21 Championships.
Playing from the back, the Germans beat the Dutch press as Lukas Nmecha was played in on the left hand side. Using the outside of his right boot, the Man City youngster whipped a delightful ball towards the front past where Wirtz beats his man to prod into the back of the net.
Finally, a superb volley from Ferrao for Barcelona in the Futsal Champions League quarter-final completes UEFA’s list of nominees for 2020-21.
A corner was chipped to the unmarked Brazilian, who lashed the ball first time beyond the helpless Dobovec goalkeeper.