Mexican, Colombian Stars Among Lone Latin American Contenders For Top FIFA Honor

By NAN Sports Editor

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Nov. 14, 2014: A Mexican and a Colombian soccer star are among the lone Latin American players up for this year’s FIFA “best goal of the year” honor.

Mexico’s Marco Fabian has made the list along with Colombia’s James Rodriguez.

They are in a group of 10 stars nominated as the countdown begins to determine the winner of the FIFA Puskás Award for the “best goal of the year.”

Fabian made the list for his February 15, 2014 stunner in the match of Cruz Azul v. Puebla in 1a División 2014 in Clausura, Mexico.

Rodriguez made the list for his June 28, 2014 goal in the World Cup match between Colombia and Uruguay.

Fans from across the world will decide which of the ten stars chosen by FIFA and selected Football Committee members will be the winner of this award by voting at FIFA.com or at francefootball.fr.

The other contenders are:

Tim Cahill – 18 June 2014, Australia v. Netherlands, 2014 FIFA World Cup
Diego Costa – 23 November 2013, Atlético Madrid v. Getafe, Primera División (Spain)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic – 19 October 2013, Paris St. Germain v. SC Bastia, Ligue 1 (France)
Pajtim Kasami – 21 October 2013, Crystal Palace v. Fulham, Premier League (England)
Stephanie Roche -20 October 2013, Peamount United v. Wexford Youths, BEWNL (Rep.Ireland)
Camilo Sanvezzo – 6 October 2013 – Vancouver Whitecaps v. Portland Timbers, MLS (USA/Canada)
Hisato Sato – 8 March 2014 – Sanfrecce Hiroshima v. Kawasaki Frontale, J.League (Japan)
Robin van Persie – 13 June 2014 – Spain v. Netherlands, 2014 FIFA World Cup

The FIFA Puskás Award, created in honor and in memory of Ferenc Puskás, the captain and star of the Hungarian national team during the 1950s, will be presented for the sixth year in a row at the FIFA Ballon d’Or 2014, which will be held at the Kongresshaus in Zurich.

During a televised show, the winner of the FIFA Ballon d’Or for the best player of 2014 as well as the FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year 2014 will also be revealed. Meanwhile, the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Men’s Football award and the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Women’s Football award will be presented for the fifth time. The FIFA FIFPro World XI, the FIFA Presidential Award and the FIFA Fair Play Award will also be presented during the show.