KUALA LUMPUR: The FA of Malaysia (FAM) are prepared to consider nominating UiTM’s Nur Areff Kamaruddin’s interesting goal for Fifa’s Puskas award.
However, FAM vice president Datuk Yusoff Mahadi explained that first they need to carry out their own evaluation of the goal which was scored during a Malaysia Premier League match against Johor Darul Ta’zim II (JDT II) before they make a decision.
"We do not have a problem on the matter but it’s just that we need to see and evaluate the goal first. We will request that the relevant committee evaluate the goal to see if it meets the necessary criteria or not.
"If we find that it does then we will send a nomination to Fifa as we have done before with Faiz Subri’s wonder goal before this.
"We do encourage that players try to score such amazing goals which then can be nominated for the prestigious award. It is also a noteworthy effort in promoting not just Malaysian football but our beloved country in the eyes of the world,” he said when contacted earlier today.
Nur Areff’s goal has gone viral on social media after netizens likened his goal to the volley scored by Colombia’s James Rodriguez against Uruguay in the 2014 World Cup quarter-final in Brazil which saw the Bayern Munich player win the Puskas award that same year.
The 24-year-old Nur Areff chested down a clearance by the JDT II defense and struck a volley from distance which embarrassed goalkeeper Samuel Sommerville who was off his line.
What made it all the more sweeter was the fact that Nur Areff’s goal was the equaliser scored in the final minute of the match which enabled UiTM FC to snatch away a valuable point with the match ending in a 2-2 draw.
Almost two years ago, Penang forward Faiz Subri rocked world football when his wonder goal scored against Pahang won him the 2016 Fifa Puskas award.