Gorge your eyeballs on this year’s stunning Puskas Award nominees

Yep, Fleetwood Town’s David Ball will battle it out with Messi for the Puskas Award, and we reckon he might just finish above him.

The list was dominated by acrobatic volleys and individual runs. Previous winners include Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and James Rodriguez, who won a year ago for his bicycle kick against Uruguay in the World Cup last-16.

Lionel Messi is on the list for his slalom against Athletic Bilbao, and Carlos Tevez and Alessandro Florenzi are too – Tevez for his dribble against Parma, and Florenzi for his spectacular long-ranger against Barcelona. One is for David Ball whose 25-yard strike for Fleetwood Town in an English third division game made the cut.

One of this year’s candidates is United States Women’s National Team star and World Cup Golden Ball victor Carli Lloyd.

Ball will be up against a few stern competition – the likes of Philippe Mexes, Carlos Tevez and a certain Lionel Messi also have their eyes on the prize!

Castro’s goal, from an acute angle, was reminiscent of Marco van Basten’s famous effort for the Netherlands in the 1988 European championship final.

There are, in total, 10 nominees for goal of the year with the victor announced at the Ballon d’Or ceremony on January 11 next year.