Uganda Cranes player Denis Omedi has been nominated for the 2024 Puskas Award, handed to the player who scored the most spectacular goal of the year by the Federation International Football Association (FIFA).
This follows his breathing goal against Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA) Football Club during the Federation of Uganda Football Association (FUFA) Super 8 quarter-final on August 6, 2024, at the MTN Omondi Stadium, Lugogo. Omedi scored that goal while playing for Kitara Football Club.
FIFA confirmed this development on Friday, November 29, 2024.
Omedi has been nominated for the Puskás Award alongside 10 contenders, including Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho, recognized for his overhead kick against Everton, and Mohammed Kudus of West Ham United for his solo goal against Freiburg.
Other nominees include Hassan Al Haydos, Terry Antonis, Yassine Benzia, Walter Bou, Michaell Chirinos, Federico Dimarco, Paul Onuachu, and Juden Philogene.
The previous winners include the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, among others.
The prize was inaugurated in 2009 and is named in honor of Ferenc Puskás, the legendary Hungarian striker famed for scoring incredible goals with astonishing regularity.
Voting for the Puskás Award is open to fans worldwide via FIFA’s official website and will close on December 10, 2024, with the winner set to be announced during the FIFA Best Awards ceremony in January 2025.
Omedi’s nomination raises awareness of Ugandan football, highlighting the potential coming from local leagues and enhancing Uganda’s stand on international football.