Stephanie Roche has insisted her wonder strike which will be celebrated at this evening’s FIFA Ballon d’Or gala was not a fluke.
The Republic of Ireland women’s international is competing with World Cup goals from Robin van Persie and James Rodriguez for the Puskas Award, named after the great Hungarian Ferenc Puskas.
The accolade goes to the scorer of the best goal in a year of world football, with an eligibility period from October 3, 2013 to September 26, 2014 allowing Roche’s spectacular effort for Peamount United against Wexford Youths Women to squeeze in.
It came on October 13, 2013, in front of a crowd numbering just 95 at Wexford’s Ferrycarrig Park, where to Roche’s delight the goal was caught on camera.
Home coach John Flood brought his video kit to the ground and organised footage that was intended purely for his post-match analysis, but which instead reaped the only recording of a goal now viewed over six million times on YouTube.
Roche, 25, is the first woman to feature on a Puskas Award final shortlist, and the first player from Ireland.
“The first I heard of it was through Twitter,” Roche told Press Association Sport. “I got a tweet from FIFA to say my name was in the top 10 for the Puskas Award and it was a surprise. That’s how it happened – it was nothing too official until I got to the top three and they got in touch with the Football Association of Ireland and made contact with me.”
The jaw-dropping moment in Peamount’s green and black colours came when Roche collected a short cross from the right on her instep, flicked it over bemused defender Laura Heffernan with her other boot and from 25 yards magicked up a left-footed missile of a volley that found the top-right corner.
To prove the goal was not a once-in-a-lifetime effort, she repeated it on request for French TV cameras, during her time playing for ASPTT Albi.
FIFA has allowed a public vote to judge the Puskas Award winner, and Roche has been banging the drum for her strike. She and her Bray Wanderers footballer boyfriend Dean Zambra will be in Zurich, with fingers crossed.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Germany’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper Manuel Neuer go head to head for the FIFA Ballon d’Or award, which recognises the best player in the men’s game.
FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year award will go to Brazil’s Marta, Germany’s Nadine Kessler or American Abby Wambach.