GIROUD’S SCORPION KICK

Arsenal hitman is seventh French player to be nominated for award

LONDON

The 31-year-old is the seventh Frenchman to be nominated for the award but the first to make the final shortlist of three, world soccer’s governing body said on its website. (www.fifa.com)

Castellanos is the second Venezuelan woman in successive years to make the final three and was nominated for her strike from the halfway line against Cameroon at the U-17 Women’s World Cup in Jordan last year.

The 18-year-old follows in the footsteps of compatriot Daniuska Rodriguez, whose goal made the final three for last year’s award but lost out to Malaysian Mohd Faiz Subri’s spectacular 35-metre, swerving free-kick.

South Africa’s Masuluke is the first goalkeeper as well as the first player from Africa to make it to the final three for his last minute bicycle-kick equaliser for Baroka FC against Orlando Pirates last year.

The winner of the award, named after the late Hungary captain Ferenc Puskas, will be decided by the public and announced at FIFA’s annual player of the year ceremony in London on Oct. 23.

Malaysia’s Faiz Subri won last year ’s Fifa Puskas award for Goal of the Year with his physicsdefying free kick in a Super League game

The Penang forward topped the international votes, ahead of Corinthians midfielder Marlone and Venezuela’s Daniuska Rodriguez. Reuters

FILE PIC Penang’s Faiz Subri (second from right) became the first Asian to win the Fifa Puskas Award last year for his stunning swerved freekick.