Persija Jakarta and Indonesia national team defender Rizky Ridho has been nominated for the FIFA Puskas Award 2025 for his spectacular goal against Arema FC. The long-range strike from midfield occurred on March 9, 2025, at Stadion Patriot Candrabhaga in Bekasi. He competes with stars like Lamine Yamal and Declan Rice among the 11 nominees.
FIFA has released 11 nominations for the 2025 Puskas Award, the annual honor for the world's most beautiful goal in football. Rizky Ridho stands as the sole representative from Southeast Asia on the list, representing Persija Jakarta and the Indonesia national team. His goal came during a match against Arema FC in the 2024/2025 BRI Liga 1. In the ? minute at Stadion Patriot Candrabhaga in Bekasi, Ridho received the ball in midfield, dribbled past pressure, and unleashed a curving long-range shot that lofted perfectly over goalkeeper Lucas Frigeri and into the net.
The feat went viral globally and was selected by FIFA as one of the year's best goals. Ridho, known for his resilience in Indonesia's defense during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, now has a strong chance thanks to solid support from Indonesian netizens in voting. The Puskas Award, named after Hungarian legend Ferenc Puskas, was first given in 2009 to Cristiano Ronaldo. History shows winners can come from small leagues or unknown players, such as Malaysia's Mohd Faiz Subri in 2016 or Brazil's Wendell Lira in 2015.
Indonesian fans can back Ridho via official voting on FIFA.com by searching for the 'FIFA Puskas Award' category in 'Vote now for The Best 2025'. The full nominee list includes Alejandro Sousa (Vitória vs Cruzeiro), Alberto Deiola (Cagliari vs Venezia), Pedro De La Vega (Cruz Azul vs Seattle Sounders), Gonzalo Montiel (Independiente vs Independiente Rivadavia), Mohamed Nasser (Al Ahly vs Pharco), Javier Orrantía (Querétaro vs Atlas), Thapelo Ribeiro (Mamelodi Sundowns vs Borussia Dortmund), Declan Rice (Arsenal vs Real Madrid), Miguel Rodrigues (Kasımpaşa vs Rizespor), and Lamine Yamal (Espanyol vs Barcelona). This nomination marks a historic milestone for Indonesian football, inspiring the next generation.