FIFA has announced the final three-player shortlist for the FIFA Puskas Award for the best goal of 2015.
The final three remain from the list of 10 announced earlier in November.
The list includes Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, AS Roma’s Alessandro Florenzi and Wendell Lira of Goianesia.
Messi, 28, is selected for a goal he scored against Athletic Bilbao in the Copa Del Rey final in May, when he collected the ball just inside his own half before beating five men and slotting a shot into the bottom corner.
Florenzi’s goal was scored in the UEFA Champions League. The defender picked up a loose ball deep in his own half in a group match against Barcelona this season before bursting down the right flank. He then lofted an unbelievable effort over goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen from the touchline just inside the Barca half.
Wendell provides the one strike which comes from South America, netted against Atletico-GO for Goianesia in Brazil’s Campeonato Goiano in March. He scored with a stunning bicycle kick from 10 yards out after a running on to a lofted pass through the centre.
Colombia and Real Madrid’s James Rodriguez won last year’s award for his strike against Uruguay at the 2014 World Cup,
High-profile names among the seven dropped from the running are Boca Juniors striker Carlos Tevez, for an exhilarating solo effort he scored while still at Juventus in a Serie A game against Parma last November, and AC Milan defender Philippe Mexes for his stunning volley in an International Champions Cup friendly against city rivals Inter.
Also, Lloyd, who plays her club football for Houston Dash in the National Women’s Soccer League in the U.S, scored an outstanding goal in the final of the Women’s World Cup against Japan in July but it was not enough to see her emulate Stephanie Roche last season by representing women’s football in the final three.
The winner will be announced at the FIFA Ballon d’Or ceremony in Zurich on January 11, 2016.
Chelsea are eyeing Roma defender Alessandro Florenzi as a possible successor to Branislav Ivanovic.
Diego Costa has been charged with violent conduct by the FA after an incident with Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny which was caught on video.
The FA has also charged Arsenal defender Gabriel with improper conduct for his behaviour after being sent off, and both Chelsea and Arsenal for failing to control their players.
Keylor Navas has thanked Real Madrid’s fans for their support after he broke a club record for clean sheets at the start of a season.
Navas, 28, almost left Real in the summer only for a proposed transfer that would have seen Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea head in the opposite direction collapse on Spain’s deadline day.
The Costa Rica international has been impressive for Los Blancos since the collapse of the exit, with his clean sheet in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Granada a fifth in a row in all competitions.
The fifth straight shutout since the start of 2015-16 betters former Real keeper Miguel Angel’s sequence of four on the spin at the beginning of the 1975-76 campaign.
Real Madrid’s keylor Navas
David Moyes was left “disappointed” by another defeat for Real Sociedad which has reportedly left his role as manager in significant doubt.
Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma has told beIN Sports that striker Diego Costa “likes to cheat,” though he later clarified that he did not mean to insult his teammate.
Agent Jorge Mendes had to intervene on behalf of client Marcos Rojo, who was nearly forced out of Manchester United due angering manager Louis van Gaal by missing the club’s pre-season tour due to a passport issue.
Manchester United are following 18-year-old centre-back Jeremiah St Juste, already a regular with Heerenveen.
After being left out by Jose Mourinho against Arsenal at the weekend, John Terry is to play for a second string Chelsea side against Walsall in the Capital One Cup but Diego Costa will not start.
Jose Mourinho has insisted Arsenal “has the squad to be champions” in what appears to be another dig at managerial rival Arsene Wenger.
Louis van Gaal has revealed that Morgan Schneiderlin and Marouane Fellaini are serving for interpreters for Anthony Martial as Manchester United’s manager and top scorer struggle to communicate with each other.
A petition has been created to prevent referee Mike Dean from officiating in another Arsenal game following his performance in Saturday’s 2-0 defeat by Chelsea.
Dick Advocaat has insisted he would walk away from Sunderland if he did not feel he was the right man for the job – but he has no intention of doing so.
Robin van Persie says he is “not very happy” after having to come off the bench to rescue Fenerbahce in their latest league game.
Newcastle defender Mike Williamson, 31, has rejected the chance to join Preston on loan.
Defender Tyias Browning, 21, hopes he has done enough to retain his place in the Everton side after keeping Swansea winger Jefferson Montero quiet in Saturday’s 0-0 draw.
Former Stoke and West Ham winger Matthew Etherington, 34, has revealed he lost £1.5m through his addiction to gambling.
Saido Berahino says his winning goal for West Brom in the 1-0 win at Aston Villa was more like a “Zinedine Zidane touch” than a lucky deflection.
AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi has called an end to his club’s plans to build a new stadium in the city, saying he is too in love with the San Siro to leave.
Goalkeeper David De Gea may have impressed in Manchester United’s 3-2 win at Southampton, but is happy to concede that United’s man of the moment is teenager Anthony Martial, who scored again.
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal says Juan Mata’s 44-pass goal against Southampton proves that his “philosophy” is working.
The son of the Syrian refugee tripped by a Hungarian journalist was invited to accompany Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo on to the pitch before their Spanish league game on Saturday.
Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire have sacked head coach and former Ipswich Town defender Frank Yallop and assistant Marc Bircham – once of QPR.
Ronny Deila has confirmed that Celtic will hold talks with free agent and ex-West Ham striker Carlton Cole.
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