WATCH: Stunning 40-yard 'goal of the season' for Clevedon Town earns praise from FIFA
Oli Babington celebrates his stunning goal for Clevedon Town - Credit: Frankie O'Keeffe
It's the stuff footballing dreams are made of...
The ball is coming at you in the air, 40 yards from goal. You spot the 'keeper off his line, swing your boot and hit a sensational volley into the top corner.
Your team goes on to win the match 4-2.
But this was not a dream for Clevedon Town player, Oli Babington - it was a reality.
His 'worldie' came on Saturday (January 22), in Town's 4-2 win at Buckland Athletic.
Oli Babington scored his world-class goal in a 4-2 win for Clevedon Town - Credit: Clevedon Town FC
"Non-league goal of the season has been scored," the club said on social media.
And Oli told the Clevedon Town website the goal was intended.
Most Read
- 1 North Somerset flytipper pays £1,600 after dumping bathtub
- 2 Police rescue broken down bride - and get her to the wedding on time
- 3 Iceland offers over 60s discount on shopping bill every week
- 4 Clevedon Choral back after 18 month hiatus caused by pandemic
- 5 Construction finally begins for special educational needs school
- 6 Clevedon Library to close for THREE MONTHS for major refurb
- 7 Can you answer these 10 GCSE questions designed for 16-year-olds?
- 8 Two more leave Portishead Town Council over 'in-person' controversy
- 9 IN THE DOCK: Man in court after using daughter's blue badge to park in Weston
- 10 Busy route to Bristol to close for roadworks next week
"A few minutes earlier I saw the keeper likes to come out a bit and when I saw him off his line again, I just decided to go for a long-range shot," he said.
"I felt it as soon as I hit it and it was one of those that was going to be close, but it was almost like watching it in slow motion with the angle and the distance.
"But no, I’ve never hit anything sweeter than that in my life."
A video of the goal posted by Clevedon Town, above, went viral - and even drew the attention of football governing body FIFA - who joked how it could be a contender for the Puskas Award, which recognises the 'most aesthetically significant goal' in the world each year.
"Last Monday, the Puskas Award winner was crowned. This could well be a contender next time," the tweet said.
"Oli Babington's club have called it the 'non-League goal of the season'. It's an absolute cracker!"
Oli Babington was mobbed after his amazing goal - Credit: Frankie O'Keeffe
Clevedon Town manager, Alex White, said: "It’s a bit of a weird one to be honest. I was so pleased with the performance and the three points, I didn’t properly process the goal until a few hours after, and then next thing you know, you see a tweet appearing from FIFA mentioning about the goal being a contender for the Puskas Award.
"It’s certainly escalated very quickly, but Oli deserves all the recognition the goal will get, it was a once in a lifetime goal to witness.
"It’s by far the best goal I’ve ever seen live. Everything about it - the thinking, the technique, the execution - it was all perfect.
"If that goal was scored in the premier league it would be shown for years and years."
The goal is not the first time Clevedon Town have made international headlines, however.
In 2020, the club was noticed around the world after former Manchester United and England star David Beckham showed up at The Hand Stadium to watch his son play.
Romeo Beckham was playing for Somerset school Millfield.
