Marlone, Daniuska Rodriguez, Mohd Faiz Subri Named 2016 Puskas Award Final Three

Brazilian playmaker Marlone, Malaysian Mohd Faiz Subri and Venezuela's Daniuska Rodriguez have been named on the three-person shortlist for the FIFA Puskas Award, as per FIFA.com, who confirmed the news in a tweet:

Marlone's incredible scissor-volley for Corinthians in their Copa Libertadores match against Cobresal made the cut, as did Subri's bizarre, swerving free-kick for Penang in the Malaysia Super League and Rodriguez's solo effort for Venezuela under-17s.

Below is the official FIFA video of the three nominated goals:

The original shortlist of 10 included goals from Lionel Messi and Neymar, as well as Hal Robson-Kanu's Cruyff-turn goal for Wales against Belgium at Euro 2016, but none of the big-name players made it through. This is only the second time in six years that neither Neymar nor Messi have appeared in the top three.

Subri's free-kick went viral last February, and with good reason. From around 35 yards out, his shot appeared to be heading towards the near post before swinging dramatically into the opposite corner.

"It's the best free-kick I've ever witnessed," Penang defender Brent Griffiths said, as per John Duerden for FourFourTwo. "My initial reaction was 'why's Faiz shooting from that angle, cross the ball'. But seeing the swerve on the ball shut me up quick!"

The acrobatic effort from Marlone is the sixth time a Brazilian has featured in the final three, despite the Puskas Award only having come into existence in 2009. The 24-year-old chested the ball up into the air before swivelling his body and nestling the ball into the bottom corner.

Venezuela's 17-year-old starlet Rodriguez became the second female player to reach the final three with her powerful strike in the Women's Under-17 Sudamericano Championship. She muscled her way past two defenders before thumping the ball into the net, Didier Drogba-style.

Highlights of the original 10 nominated goals for 2016 can be seen here:

The Puskas Award has celebrated some extraordinary goals over the years, considering strikes from all levels of football. Last year's winner, an overhead kick from Wendell Lira, was scored in a local football league in Goiana, Brazil, while the year before, the Puskas was awarded to James Rodriguez for his volley in the World Cup round of 16.

The three nominations do not feature a player from Spain or England for only the second time since its inception, and not since 2010—when Hamit Altintop, Linus Hallenius and Matty Burrows made the top three—has the final list failed to include a single world star.

Whichever footballer wins the prize this year, it will almost certainly be the biggest achievement of his or her career.