Everaldo Stum has been tipped for the Puskas Award by fans after scoring an incredible acrobatic goal in the dying stages of a J-League game last week.
The 31-year-old was playing for Kashima Antlers against Cerezo Osaka, who led the match 3-2 heading into the closing minutes. With time running short, Everaldo dreamed up a magical moment to secure a share of the prizes for his side.
After receiving the ball in the box, the striker used his knee to juggle the ball over a defender’s head before firing a spectacular bicycle kick across the goalie from an apparently impossible angle, sending Kashima fans – and the internet – berserk!
Fans quickly flocked to social media to demand that Everaldo should win the coveted Puskas Award after his unbelievable striker. One fan tweeted: “Give this man a Puskas right now,” while another posted: “Well that’s a Puskas nominee if I’ve ever seen one.”
Another fan was bowled over by the strike, tweeting: “The golazo of all golazos. My goodness what a beautiful goal.” Another fan echoed those sentiments, tweeting: “Goal of the year. Easily.”
One fan went one further and suggested that Everaldo’s moment of magic was the one of the best goals they had ever seen. They shared a clip of the striker’s goal and tweeted: “One of the best equalisers you’ll ever see, ever.”
In recent years, various well-known personalities have received the Puskas Award, including Son Heung-min, Mohamed Salah, and Olivier Giroud.
Erik Lamela, an ex-Tottenham player, won the prized award last year after scoring a magnificent rabona against Arsenal in the north London derby.
Everaldo, who spent the most of his career in his native Brazil until moving to Japan in January, would be a surprise winner of an honour previously won by Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar!
Everaldo’s last-gasp strike ensured Kashima retained second place in the J-League, as they continue to hunt down leaders Yokohama FM, who presently lead their rivals by five points.