Indonesian football fans were greeted with welcome news on the night of October 13, when Persija Jakarta captain Rizky Ridho was officially nominated for the 2025 FIFA Puskas Award.
Ridho earned his nomination for a remarkable long-range strike scored during a 2024/25 Liga 1 Indonesia match against Arema FC in March at the Patriot Candrabhaga Stadium, Bekasi. With Persija reduced to nine men and the match still goalless in the 62nd minute, Ridho received the ball from Ryo Matsumura deep in his own half. Noticing Arema goalkeeper Lucas Frigeri well off his line, he unleashed an audacious lob from the halfway mark. The ball soared over Frigeri’s head and dipped perfectly into the net, giving Persija a dramatic—if temporary—lead.
Despite Ridho’s moment of brilliance, the match eventually slipped away from Persija. Goals from Pablo Oliveira, Dalberto, and an unfortunate Muhammad Ferarri own goal completed Arema’s comeback and secured all three points for Singo Edan.
Ridho’s strike now stands alongside an impressive list of global contenders: Declan Rice’s laser-guided free-kick for Arsenal against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League, Lamine Yamal’s dazzling solo run in the Catalan Derby, and Santiago Montiel’s gravity-defying bicycle kick from outside the box for Independiente, among others.
His nomination marks only the second time a Southeast Asian player has been recognized on football’s biggest goal-scoring stage. The first was Malaysia’s Faiz Subri, whose physics-defying free-kick in 2016 not only captured international attention but ultimately won the award.
This year’s winner will be determined through a combination of global fan voting and assessments by a FIFA judging panel—an approach introduced after Mohamed Salah’s controversial 2018 win, when Egyptian fans heavily influenced the results. Indonesia’s famously massive online fanbase gives Ridho a genuine chance, but competition will be fierce. In particular, Egypt’s Amr Nasser is expected to receive significant support from the same passionate fan network that once reshaped the award’s voting rules.
Ridho’s inclusion on the Puskas shortlist is more than personal recognition—it is a milestone for Indonesian football. His nomination showcases the rising quality of Southeast Asian players on the global stage and offers local fans a rare opportunity to unite behind one of their own in a world football spotlight. Whether Ridho ultimately secures the award or not, his wonder goal has already carved its place in Indonesian football history, inspiring a new generation of players to dream—and to shoot—big.