Brazilian Wendell Lira Wins Puskas Award for Best Goal Over Messi

01/12/2016 - 09h40

Before traveling to Zurich, Switzerland, for FIFA's Puskás Award - awarded to the scorer of the year's best goal - Wendell Lira, 27, from Goiás, told Folha that just having the opportunity to enter world football history was like a dream come true.

On Monday (11), Lira surpassed his dreams: with 46.7% of the votes, he beat Argentina and Barcelona's Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi (33.3%) to the prize, as well as the Italian Alessandro Florenzi (7.1%) of Roma. Lira was honored at the gala, held by FIFA, world football's governing body.

Emotional, Lira in his acceptance speech that he felt honored to be in the company of his heroes and other stars of world football. "When Goliath appeared, everyone said 'he's very big, David has no way of winning. But when David looked at Goliath, he said 'he's very big, there's no way I can miss," he said.

Lira plays for Vila Nova, a team from Goiânia which plays in the Série B of Brazilian football. He was supported by campaigns on social networks and websites such as Desimpedidos, Olé do Brasil and KibeLoco, which combine football commentary with humor. Voting took place on FIFA's website.

Lira scored his goal in March last year, at the Serra Dourada stadium, in a Goiás state championship match between Atlético Goiás and Goianésia, the team he was playing for at the time.

"He's always been very dedicated, he's a fighter. We didn't think that he could win [the Puskás Award] and we're very proud," said Nonato, 36, a Goianésia forward who participated in the move that led to Lira's prizewinning bicycle kick.

Translated by TOM GATEHOUSE

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	Fabrice Coffrini/AFP
	Vila Nova's Brazilian forward Wendell Lira poses after receiving the Puskas Award for the "goal of the year"