People think 'impossible' goal from Belgian fourth tier deserves to win the Puskas Award
A quite extraordinary goal scored in a Belgian fourth division match between KVK Avelgem B and KSV De Ruiter has been tipped to win the FIFA Puskas Award.
Jens Verhellen, a full-back who plays for KVK Avelgem, was determined to clear his lines during last weekend's top-of-the-table clash against KSV De Ruiter.
The 24-year-old ran out from defence and punted the ball as hard as he could from around 35 yards.
Then, to the absolute amazement of those in attendance, the ball swerved and somehow found the left corner of the net. It's a moment that has been viewed more than 2.3 million times online. Take a look at that goal below.
Roberto Carlos eat your heart out!
— James Leighton (@JamesL1927) October 28, 2022
I have no idea if he meant this but it looks amazing. pic.twitter.com/IxAeGUvXFO
As you can see in the footage above, Jens even looks away after striking the ball – such was his mindset at the time. So what was going through his head when he pummelled that ball?
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“We had just had a corner kick and the opponent set up a counter-attack,” Verhellen told Belgian publication Nieuwsblad.
“Our team was not yet organized. I'm the right back, so I kicked that ball away so we had time to position ourselves well. Suddenly everyone started cheering. So no, I really didn't expect to score a goal. The last time I scored was four years ago."
The defender says he will now try and score more goals from distance because "it pays off sometimes".
He added: “Fellow players have forwarded the video to their channels that they follow on Instagram. It must have been picked up there.
"Of course it's nice to go around the world with my goal.”
In terms of Saturday's full-time score, KVK Avelgem B would win the game 3-0 after a dominant performance and as a result, they would go on to claim top spot in Belgium football's fourth division.
But let's be honest, it was Verhellen's screamer from distance that will remembered for years to come.
One fan commented on the clip, saying: "He could try that thousands of times and that would never happen again," while another said: "That might be the best goal ever scored."
A third wrote: "That's probably the best goal I’ve ever seen."
Jack Kenmare