The recent announcement of the 2025 FIFA Puskás Award nominees hasn’t
dampened the belief that Orlando Pirates midfielder Cemran Dansin’s
spectacular volley deserves a place among the world’s best goals.
While former Mamelodi Sundowns forward Lucas Ribeiro Costa earned a 2025
nomination for his Club World Cup solo effort, Dansin’s stunning strike for
The Buccaneers against Sundowns on November 1st came just after the
eligibility cut-off date for the current cycle. This makes the 20-year-old a
prime candidate for the 2026 edition.
The goal, a thunderous volley that crashed in off the crossbar, captivated
the South African football community and immediately sparked calls for
Puskás recognition. Its quality has drawn a lofty comparison from former
Marumo Gallants coach Dylan Kerr, who likened it to Tony Yeboah’s legendary
volley for Leeds United against Liverpool in the 1990s.
“Ah listen, if that Pirates goal doesn’t get (PSL) Goal of the Season, then
there’s something wrong. That was some volley!” Kerr exclaimed. “He reminded
me of Tony Yeboah’s strike… That’s not luck, that was just timing.”
Kerr passionately defended the goal’s world-class status, pushing back
against any suggestions it was a fluke.
“People say it’s luck when you do that, it’s not! It’s timing. He hit that
perfectly,” he insisted. When asked directly if it deserved a Puskás
nomination, Kerr was unequivocal: “100 percent.”
Citing Oscarine Masuluke’s 2017 nomination for his overhead kick, Kerr
argued that Dansin’s strike embodies the award’s spirit. For him, the goal
was a perfect blend of positioning and technique.
“Being at the right area, at the right time and striking the ball with the
right part of the foot, right on cue and it’s all on timing,” the former
Leeds defender concluded.
