By: Osabuohien Imutiyenosa
Argentine footballer Santiago Montiel has officially been crowned the winner of the 2025 FIFA Puskás Award, FIFA’s annual honour for the most spectacular goal of the season. The accolade was presented on Tuesday during The Best FIFA Football Awards 2025 gala in Doha, where Montiel’s breathtaking bicycle-kick strike for Club Atlético Independiente against Independiente Rivadavia secured global acclaim and fan-voted recognition.
The moment that captivated the football world occurred on 11 May 2025 in the Argentine Liga Profesional de Fútbol. With the game poised at 0–0, a cleared corner dropped just outside the penalty area. In one of the season’s most audacious attempts, Montiel, 25, launched himself into a perfectly timed overhead kick from around 25 yards out — sending the ball arcing over the goalkeeper and into the top corner to clinch a dramatic 1–0 victory for Independiente.
Montiel’s strike stood out in a field packed with world-class contenders, including Barcelona’s rising star Lamine Yamal and Arsenal’s midfield powerhouse Declan Rice. The final decision blended fan voting with expert panel input, underscoring the global appeal and technical brilliance of Montiel’s effort that combined skill, vision and sheer audacity.
The award itself pays homage to Hungarian legend Ferenc Puskás, famed for his extraordinary scoring feats, and celebrates the most beautiful goals worldwide each season. Montiel’s victory continues an Argentine thread in the award’s recent history — following compatriot Alejandro Garnacho’s Puskás triumph in 2024.
In a statement after the ceremony, the Independiente forward reflected on the moment with humility, saying he “didn’t overthink it — I just hit it,” capturing the spontaneous brilliance that paved his way into the record books.
*The Puskás Award remains one of football’s most loved honours — celebrating not just winners, but unforgettable flashes of inspiration that elevate the beautiful game.*
