Paris, France right back Benjamin Pavard’s sublime volley against Argentina at the 2018 FIFA World Cup has been voted Goal of the Tournament, FIFA has announced on its official website.
The world’s biggest football tournament in Russia produced 169 goals in 64 matches, reports Xinhua news agency.
Pavard, 22, netted the equalizer against Argentina with outside of his right foot in the 57th minute, before France triumphed 4-3 in round of 16 en route to their world champion.
In an online poll where over three million users casted their votes through the FIFA website, Pavard’s stunner finally got a nod as the Goal of the Tournament.
“The ball bounced up as it came to me. I didn’t even think about it. I just tried to get over it and keep it down,” Pavard told the FIFA website after that match.
“I was trying to hit it in the direction it came from, which is what the strikers always tell me. I didn’t think it over, and when it went in I just felt so happy,” he added.
Pavard becomes the first European player to win the award since its inauguration in 2006. At the 2014 World Cup, it belonged Colombia’s James Rodriguez, the Golden Boot winner of the tournament. Maxi Rodriguez of Argentina and Diego Forlan of Uruguay were other previous winners, in 2006 and 2010 respectively.
Juan Quintero’s low free-kick for Colombia against Japan in the group stage finished second in the vote, while the third place went to Croatia midfielder Luka Modric’s long-range shot against Argentina in group stage.
