Forget Charlie Adam, forget Wayne Rooney, forget David Beckham - Benfica B goalkeeper Samuel Soares might have scored the greatest long range goal of all time on Monday night.
Yes, you read that correctly. The Benfica B goalkeeper.
Soares started between the sticks for Benfica's B team in the Liga 2 match away to Trofense on Monday night, with his team sitting in 3rd place in the Portuguese second division.
With Benfica losing 1-0 and 25 minutes left on the clock, Soares looked up to see his rival number one off his line - and produced a simply sensational long range strike, which has surely already wrapped up next year's Puskas Award.
Benfica B goalie scores mother of all worldies from outside own box
The goal from Benfica B goalkeeper Samuel Soares simply has to be seen to be believed.
Soares collects the ball on the edge of his own box, and strides forward, apparently searching for a player to pass to. Suddenly, he unleashes a long range attempt at goal, from mere yards outside his own penalty area. The power and lift he generates off the ball, and the manner in which the ball crashes in off the crossbar, all add to what is an astonishing goal.
— @SLBenficaYouth (@byvid12) November 7, 2022
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We'll admit there is an asterisk attached to this goal, in that it is unclear whether the ball would have gone in had it not bounced off the opposition goalkeeper. But, for the sheer balls required to take this shot on, and the excellence with which it was executed, we really don't think that's an issue.
Benfica B would go on to win the match 2-1, and remain in 3rd place in Liga 2, Soares' goal pushing them on to a crucial win.
Strangely, Soares' goal for Benfica was not the first of its kind this weekend, with German football legend Lukas Podolski scoring a similarly ambitious effort from inside his own half in the Polish First Division.
I would like to be the first to congratulate Lukas Podolski on winning the 2023 Puskas Award 💥 pic.twitter.com/GUbpYdWAcY
— Dylan Walsh (@dylanwalsh_) November 5, 2022
Despite the brilliance of Podolski's strike, we have to say its hard to beat Soares'. It is set apart from previous goals by goalkeepers by the obvious intent from Soares to catch his opposite number out in the Trofense goal, and we are simply in awe of his phenomenal strike.
Wrap up that Puskas Award now, everyone else can stop trying.
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