Guilherme Madruga secured victory in the competition for the most beautiful goal of the season, earning the FIFA Puskás Award at The Best 2023. The Brazilian outshone fellow finalists Nuno Santos of Sporting and Julio Enciso of Brighton.
At the time of his remarkable goal, Guilherme was a player for Botafogo-SP. Striking a powerful bicycle kick from outside the box, he skillfully lifted the ball over the goalkeeper. Presently, the athlete is a member of Cuiabá and is set to compete in the top tier of the Brasileirão in 2023.
“It’s a unique day in my life. It’s definitely etched in my personal history and in the memories of everyone who has followed me since the beginning of my journey. It’s a dream come true to be among my idols. I didn’t expect this. It was completely different from what I had planned, but it was much better,” he expressed.
This marks the third occasion that a Brazilian has clinched the prestigious trophy, with Neymar achieving it during his time with Santos in 2011 and later, Wendell Lira in 2015.