Goulon's wonder goal to be submitted for FIFA Puskas Award

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) would be nominating Pahang defender Herold Goulon's goal for the FIFA Puskas Award.

FAM secretary-general Stuart Ramalingam said the national football body agreed to submit the nomination after receiving support from Pahang FA president Tengku Abdul Rahman Almarhum Sultan Ahmad Shah.

90+3'| GOLAZOO GOULON!Percubaan dari tengah padang oleh Herold Goulon mencipta momen yang cukup magis di Kuantan, memperdayakan penjaga gol Perak, Hafizul Hakim untuk jaringan gol ketiga Pahang!@OfficialPahang 3-1 @peraktbgmy #ShopeePialaFA2019 #MFLLive #PHGPRK pic.twitter.com/PsOce1pQgF
— MFL LIVE (@MFL_Live) June 22, 2019

"Pahang have given FAM the green light to submit [the nomination of] the goal to FIFA, and the FAM will send a nomination letter and a video of the goal to FIFA," he told reporters after a press conference held in conjunction with an Asian Eleven programme at Wisma FAM in Kelana Jaya on Wednesday.

In the meantime, Stuart said FAM did not view Goulon's foreign nationality as a reason not to nominate the player for the Puskas Award.

He cited Spanish club Barcelona's nomination of Brazilian striker Neymar's goal when the latter was playing with the club.

Goulon scored a brilliant free-kick taken about 50m away from goal, which went past the reach of Perak goalkeeper Hafizul Hakim Khairul Nizam Jothy during Pahang's 3-1 win over Perak in the FA Cup semi-final at the Darul Makmur Stadium, Kuantan, on Saturday.

The goal had since received widespread coverage around the world, with many describing the goal as one of the best goals this season.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustaffa Billah Shah, also described Goulon's goal worthy of being nominated for the Puskas Award.

Goulon's goal is the second one nominated by the FAM for the Puskas Award this year after national winger Syahmi Safari's stunner.

The 21-year-old scored the goal during Malaysia's 2-2 draw against Thailand in the second leg of the 2018 AFF Suzuki Cup semi-finals in Bangkok.

Former Penang player Faiz Subri made history when he became the first Malaysian to receive the FIFA Puskas Award in 2016.

Introduced by FIFA in 2009, the Puskas Award is awarded to the player adjudged to have scored the best goal of the year.