9 Goals That Could Deny Erik Lamela the 2014 FIFA Puskas Award

Twitter and general footballing culture seemed to go into meltdown during the latest round of Europa League fixtures, as Tottenham Hotspur's Erik Lamela scored one of the most incredible goals of recent times.

Lamela's 'Rabona' strike against Asteras Tripolis was one of those beautiful footballing moments that will live long in the memory, with fans, players and pundits alike reeling over the quality of the strike.

Spurs' Jan Vertonghen himself said that it was the best goal he has ever seen live and the destination of FIFA's Puskas Award for 2014 is done and dusted, per ESPN.co.uk.

Established in 2009, the Puskas Award rewards the best goal scored from November of the previous year to October of the current year, and is selected via a number of criteria.

It looks like Lamela has got the award wrapped up for 2014, but are there any goals that could possibly beat it? Here are nine that could give Lamela's strike a run for its money.

Wesley Sneijder (Galatasaray vs. Fenerbache)

First up, we head to Turkey in pursuit of potential Puskas Award goals, and Galatasaray midfielder Wesley Sneijder.

Sneijder has found it tough going at Gala on occasions, but when he does fire, he is still one of the most mercurial midfielders in world football.

And earlier this month, Fenerbache found that out to their cost, as Sneijder sunk them with two outrageous goals.

It's tough to pick the better of the two, but the first was ridiculous; stepping off his left foot to create the space, before rifling the ball back into the opposite corner with consummate ease.

As it turns out, the second wasn't bad, either.

Marc Janko (Sydney FC vs. Brisbane Roar)

From Turkey to Australia now, and proof that even away from Europe's elite leagues and players, there are still some incredible goals scored.

This one comes from the A-League, and a game between Brisbane Roar and Sydney FC. Brisbane's keeper makes a bit of a mess of a clearance when the ball is passed back to him, rifling the ball straight at Sydney's Marc Janko.

However, Janko has to bring the ball down from head height, before taking a touch and unleashing an incredible volley from 30 yards.

It leaves the Roar 'keeper stranded, and Janko's technique is absolutely astonishing.

James Rodriguez (Colombia vs. Uruguay)

Antonio Calanni/Associated Press

Anyone without a substantial knowledge of Ligue 1 and the Colombian national team might not have been too familiar with James Rodriguez prior to this year's World Cup in Brazil.

However, by the time he'd notched the last of his six goals in Brazil, the whole world knew who James Rodriguez was.

And it was that incredible solo effort against Uruguay that sticks firmly in the memory, and it has to be regarded as one of the chief contenders for the Puskas Award in 2014.

Trapping the ball on his chest, then swiveling round to hit the most outrageous left-foot volley into the corner of the net was like something from a video game, but James' strike was very much real life.

The question is, does it top Lamela's finish?

Luis Suarez (Liverpool vs. Norwich City)

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Don't forget, contenders for the Puskas Award 2014 come from goals scored between November 2013 and October 2014, which leads nicely onto this strike from December last year.

Liverpool fans may not want to be reminded that Luis Suarez used to score goals like this for them, given how much they have struggled without the mercurial Uruguayan at their disposal.

It was during Liverpool's 5-1 rout of Norwich, a game in which Suarez scored four unbelievable goals. And while his individual, mazy run could quite easily have been a contender, it's hard to ignore his outrageous long-range strike.

A good 40 yards out from goal, Suarez was faced with a bouncing ball, two Norwich centre-backs and John Ruddy, who was pretty well positioned in the Norwich goal.

Unfortunately for Ruddy though, he wasn't accounting for Suarez unleashing a right foot strike that not only beat Ruddy for pace, but looped into the right hand corner of the net.

Astonishing.

Graziano Pelle (Southampton vs. QPR)

Dutch football fans will remember that, when playing for Feyenoord, Graziano Pelle had a tendency to score outrageous goals.

He scored a majestic volley against Ajax earlier this year, taking the ball on the turn before firing into the corner of the net in serious style.

However, as technical ability goes, this one is even better. Southampton fans are starting to realise just what a talent Pelle is, and this goal against Queens Park Rangers went a long way to confirming that.

In many ways, it was similar to the Feyenoord goal, as he took his first touch with his back to goal. However, he then unexpectedly launched himself into the air, firing an incredible bicycle kick into the corner of the net.

It will take some strike to top that in the Premier League's goal of the season competition in 2014/15.

Wayne Rooney (Manchester United vs. West Ham United)

Julian Finney/Getty Images

Spectacular goals are something of a specialist subject for Wayne Rooney. After all, his first career goal was special enough, and he's notched a few brilliant finishes along the way.

But back in March, Rooney scored perhaps the most exquisite goal of his illustrious career, with an outstanding finish from the halfway line to evoke memories of David Beckham's strike against Wimbledon in 1998.

This one was arguably better; while Beckham's was on the ground, Rooney simply plucked the ball from midair, striking it on the volley to leave Adrian stranded in the West Ham United net.

He followed it up with a second later on as United cruised to a 2-0 win, but all the talk after the game was about that extraordinary goal.

Gareth Bale (Real Madrid vs. Barcelona)

As individual goals go, they really don't come much better than this effort from Gareth Bale in the Copa del Rey final back in April.

It's a goal that almost beggars belief, not least when you consider where Bale started from. After picking up the ball on halfway, he decides that instead of trying to beat Marc Bartra with the ball, he knocks it around him, before running off the pitch, seemingly bringing the move to an end.

However, after venturing into the technical area (such is the distance he went from the field of play), Bale accelerates away in incredible fashion, outpacing Bartra to pick the ball back up.

From there it starts to look remotely possible Bale could do something unthinkable, before he checks inside and stabs the ball home to score one of the most incredible goals in Copa del Rey history.

Golazo.

Mario Gotze (Germany vs. Argentina)

Matthias Hangst/Getty Images

The criteria for qualification for the Puskas Award means a whole host of differing types of goals can be scored.

One part of the criteria dictates that the importance of the goal should be taken into consideration when being nominated. So, to that extent, it is impossible to leave out Mario Gotze's match-winning goal in the World Cup final earlier this year.

With the game locked at 0-0, and the end of extra time rapidly approaching, Gotze sprung from the bench to score the goal that would write him into German folklore; and it wasn't a bad finish, either.

Taking the ball on his chest, he experly drilled the ball into the net with his left foot to send a nation crazy, and seal another World Cup success for the Germans.

Again, if importance of goals really is a factor, then Mario Gotze is a serious contender for the 2014 Puskas Award.

Robin Van Persie (Netherlands vs. Spain)

Christophe Ena/Associated Press

Before Erik Lamela decided to provide the most outrageous 'Rabona' in modern history for Tottenham, Robin van Persie's incredible header for the Netherlands was probably regarded as the front-runner for the Puskas Award.

It was the first headed goal of the 2014 World Cup, and it was without doubt the best. An outstanding 60-yard pass from soon-to-be Manchester United teammate Daley Blind was inch perfect, but the chance still needed finishing.

Van Persie could have taken a touch, or even hit it on the volley. Instead, his incredible jump to head the ball over a stranded Iker Casillas produced one of the most magical moments in World Cup history.

It was so good, that the Dutch even issued a commemorative coin. That tells you how special a moment it was.