Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho officially scored the finest goal in the last year after he was crowned the winner of FIFA’s prestigious Puskas Award.

After joining the Red Devils’ junior system from Atletico Madrid in 2020, the Argentine has rapidly become one of the team’s top young players.

Garnacho has scored 24 goals in 113 games for the senior team and provides United with a quick and talented flanking option.

To sum up the Red Devils’ difficulties this season, he has had a mixed campaign thus far, with eight goals and four assists across all competitions and only one goal in his previous six league games.

Things went from bad to worse for the Argentine on Sunday when he was dropped, along with Marcus Rashford, ahead of the Manchester derby – a game which United heroically came back from behind to win 2-1 courtesy of fellow winger Amad Diallo.

But Garnacho received a rare bit of good news today when he deservedly scooped up the FIFA Puskas Award 2024 for a mesmerising bicycle kick against Everton last November.

Less than three minutes into the contest at Goodison Park, right back Diogo Dalot picked up the ball on the right flank and looped in a seemingly innocuous cross into the home box which seemed to evade everyone.

A split second later, Garnacho spun into the air just inside the penalty area, and volleyed home a spectacular bicycle kick into the top corner to the sheer amazement of both teams.

As the Argentine wheeled away in elation, the travelling supporters launched into a chant of ‘viva Garnacho’ in honour of one of the finest goals they had surely ever witnessed.

United went on to batter the Toffees 3-0 in a rare highpoint during a miserable campaign for Erik ten Hag’s men.

The forward’s effort beat 10 other strikes in contention for the famous trophy, named after Hungarian icon Ferenc Puskas, and won in the past by the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

After accepting the award, Garnacho said: ‘I’m very proud to win this award, it’s a proud moment for me and my family. Thank you to everyone who voted for me, especially the United fans.

‘It was a great finish and I worked on this in training many times, but also it was a great move from the team, so it’s impossible to be here without my team-mates.

‘It was a special goal and I’ll always remember it, but there’s many more incredible moments to come with this team. We have a lot to look forward to together.’

Garnacho has remained tight-lipped on his social media about being left out.

Amorim made it plain that standards need to be met and any player that falls below them will not be tolerated.