Superstar forwards Lionel Messi, Neymar and Wayne Rooney featured on the 10-goal shortlist published by FIFA Friday competing to be chosen the best scored in 2011. Messi was nominated for a strike featuring delicate skill for Barcelona against Arsenal in the Champions League; Neymar for a solo goal for Santos against Flamengo; and Wayne Rooney for his overhead kick in a Premier League Manchester derby match. Inter Milan's Dejan Stankovic was nominated for volleying in from 50 meters against Schalke in the Champions League. United States forward Heather O'Reilly was selected for a long-range strike against Colombia in the Women's World Cup. Mexico's Giovani Dos Santos was nominated for his floated chip shot over the United States defense in the Gold Cup final. Zlatan Ibrahimovic made the list for his goal for AC Milan against Lecce in a Serie A match, and Benjamin De Ceulaer was chosen for scoring in a Belgian League match for Lokeren against Bruges. Two more overhead kicks featured: by Julio Gomez for Mexico against Germany at the Under-17 World Cup, and defender Lisandro Lopez in an Argentine league match for Arsenal against Olimpo. Users of FIFA.com and francefootball.fr websites can vote until Dec. 5, when a final shortlist of three goals will be announced. The winner of the award, named for Hungarian great Ferenc Puskas, is announced Jan. 9 at FIFA's annual Golden Ball gala. Japan dominates Asian award shortlist Asia's football body said Wednesday that six players, including Japan's Shinji Kagawa and Keisuke Honda, had been shortlisted for its coveted Player of the Year award. Others in line for the award are Iranian defender Hadi Aghily, former winner Server Djeparov from Uzbekistan, Asian Cup top scorer Koo Ja-Cheol from South Korea and his fellow countryman Yeom Ki-Hun, the Asian Football Confederation said in a statement. Shinji, who plays for German Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund, scored two goals against Qatar in the AFC Asian Cup this year. Japan is set to win the 2011 AFC Women's Player of the Year award with all three candidates being Japanese. Homare Sawa could win another football honor after leading Japan to the Women's World Cup title this year. She won the Golden Ball and Golden Boot during the FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany this year. Sawa is shortlisted for the award together with goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori and Aya Miyama. The AFC award will be presented at a ceremony on Wednesday next week in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur.
