Women's football: FIFA Puskas award runner-up Stephanie Roche is a 'winner'

Stephanie Roche has been hailed as a ‘winner’ by Estonia Women’s boss Keith Boanas after finishing runner-up to James Rodriguez and ahead of Robin van Persie in FIFA’s Puskas Goal of the Year Award.

Over 1.1m people voted for the Irishwoman’s stunning volley for Peamount United against Wexford Youths and Boanas hopes it could lead to a separate women-only FIFA award in the future.   

“Stephanie is absolutely a winner in my eyes. She was even before the result,” Englishman Boanas told Sky Sports. “The mere fact that a goal scored at that level, let alone by a female, was competing on a world stage with two world superstars is amazing.

“I’ve seen some classic strikes over the years and for individual flair some of Marta’s goals may challenge it, but for the actual execution, the first and second touch and the awareness of the goal, it is probably the best.

“Social media websites and Twitter came to the forefront making it possible for the video to gain exposure and during the voting process the women’s football world was constantly highlighting it.

“I would like to think it raised a fair few eyebrows and I am sure inspired others - young and established female players alike - to think ‘hey that could have been me’. 

“Every potential goalscorer in the 24 teams going to the World Cup in Canada will now have an added incentive on the world stage and can believe it’s possible.

“Maybe FIFA should consider a separate award for females sometime in the future but for now the buzz around Steph's goal competing with the very best is undeniable.”

Former Charlton Athletic Ladies manager Boanas lauded the impact of Roche’s goal and believes it could easily have won had it been scored on the same stage as Rodriguez’s World Cup strike.

“It’s fantastic the number of people that voted for it and possibly after yesterday even more people will take another look,” he said.

“I think most people that really wanted Steph to win would actually have voted and I think the result percentage proves that.

“It’s amazing because we are talking about a world vote here and this young lady from Ireland has run a top world-class player close to the wire and left the other trailing in her wake.

“Rodriguez’s goal was seen by literally millions. It happened with perfect camera angles, close-ups and in a pressure cooker situation so that had to be a factor in the overall result.

“I have no hesitation in saying the result would have been reversed and Rodriguez would probably have finished second if the boot had been on the other foot.

“Ironically I doubt any goal scored in Irish mens football would have even reached this platform.”