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AMMAN – A back heel goal scored at Al Manaseer Jordanian Pro League has been described by international media as the world’s goal of the year.
International and local media outlets branded the goal, scored by Wihdat’s Syrian striker Moataz Salhani from nearly 32 metres against Ramtha on Saturday, as “unbelievable”.
The video of the goal grabbed over 1.3 million views on YouTube, with viewers sharing it via social media networks.
International media outlets such as the Spanish AS, the British Daily Mirror and Yahoo! Sports posted the video and began comparing it with other celebrated goals.
In a story titled “Watch sensational 35-YARD back-heel goal from Motasz Salhani in Jordanian Premier League,” the Mirror wrote: “If you thought Fabian Delph had scored the cheekiest goal of the weekend, think again. While the Aston Villa man must be praised for his sumptuous flick against Chelsea, this strike from fully 35-YARDS comfortably beats it”.
“We don’t know too much about football in Jordan but there can’t have been too many better than this,” the daily said.
Yahoo! Sport was equally impressed.
“Well, this really is a stunner. There are times when football fans are left just shouting ‘WHOA!’ at no one in particular and this provides one such moment,” the website said.
“Salhani’s reaction to a speculative long ball lumped over in his general direction was to simply stick out a foot and back-heel it on the volley into the net,” it added.
“The most impressive thing about it is that he was running full pelt towards the goal and barely even broke his stride as he pulled off the strike… As for the keeper, well he was left so visibly stunned that he simply stood and stared as if to suggest that the goal scorer may well not have been human.”
Salhani, who joined Wihdat during the football season’s second leg, said he only had time to think about the goal after the end of the match, which Wihdat won 1-0.
“When I scored the goal, I just celebrated it because it helped the team win three precious points against a tough team like Ramtha. After the end of the match, my colleagues told me how beautiful the goal was so I watched it when I went back home,” he told The Jordan Times over the phone on Monday.
The Syrian player said he did not intend to score his first goal with Wihdat in this manner.
“I just wanted to kick the ball forward past the goalkeeper and score. The goalkeeper wanted to catch the ball before me, but he didn’t expect me to kick it like that,” the 28-year-old striker recounted.
Zeyad Shilbaya, the club’s sports director and a member of its board, argued that Salhani’s goal is the most beautiful in the history of local football contests.
“This goal was not only beautiful, but also precious because the team managed to beat Ramtha, the best club this season. Ramtha is one of the toughest teams, especially when they play at their home front,” he told The Jordan Times.
Meanwhile, a Facebook page was created after the end of the match demanding that the goal be nominated for the prestigious FIFA Puskás Award, which was handed to Zlatan Ibrahimovic last year for his goal against England.
The award — created in memory of Ferenc Puskás, the captain of the Hungarian national team during the 1950s — was first awarded to Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009, according to the FIFA website.
Ahmad Eid — a fan of Faisali club, Wihdat’s traditional rival — said the goal was phenomenal, although he has never cheered for Wihdat.
“Some football fans demanded that the head coach of the Jordan national team include the player in the line-up. Many don’t even know he is actually Syrian,” Eid added.
Mahmoud Khalilah, another football fan, noted that the goal should be covered by the local media and posted on the Jordan Football Association’s official website.
“If we want FIFA to know about this impressive goal, the local media should write more about it so that it will have a chance to be nominated for this year’s award,” the 28-year-old said.
“The club should also promote this goal.”
“If a European player such as Ronaldo scored such a goal, the media would keep talking about it for ages,” Khalilah noted.
But Saeb Mahadeen, a fan of That Ras club, disagreed with Khalilah and Eid, as a goal scored by chance does not deserve this kind of coverage.
“The player did not intend to score it in such a way,” he argued.
Salhani voiced hope that his goal will help shed light on Arab football players.
“There are really skilful players in the region, but no one knows about them in the European media,” he said.
He also hopes to attract the attention of the head coach of Syrian team.
“I will be honoured if I am asked to join my national team,” Salhani said.
The Syrian footballer played with That Ras for a year-and-a-half before Wihdat signed a JD25,000 deal with him, according to Shilbaya.
