Full name Matthew Burrows Name Matty Burrows Nominations FIFA Puskas Award Years Team Career start 2006 | Number 12 Height 1.78 m Playing position Role Football player | |
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Date of birth (1985-10-15) 15 October 1985 (age 30) Place of birth Newtownards, Northern Ireland Current team Harland & Wolff Welders F.C. (Forward) | ||
Glentoran s matty burrows with a wonder goal
Matthew "Matty" Burrows is a professional football player from Northern Ireland who plays for Dundela in the NIFL Premier Intermediate League.
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Burrows is probably best known for scoring a jumping backheel volley goal against Portadown to seal victory for Glentoran in injury-time of a match on 5 October 2010. The "astonishing goal" came from the back of Burrows' heel from 16 yards out in mid-air. The goal received international acclaim, with millions viewing the goal on YouTube, and football programmes around the world broadcasting the goal to audiences unfamiliar with the Irish league. The goal drew comparisons with the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, with The Sun claiming that the two would be "proud to score a goal like that".
The goal was shortlisted for the 2010 FIFA Puskás Award, which honours the player judged to have scored the "most beautiful" goal of the year. However, Burrows lost out at the Ballon d'Or awards ceremony on 10 January 2011 to Bayern Munich and Turkey midfielder Hamit Altıntop, for his volleyed goal in Turkey's UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying game against Kazakhstan on 3 September 2010.
In January 2012, he asked to go out on loan. After no club would meet his entire salary costs, he asked to be released from Glentoran. This request was granted and he agreed terms and signed for Glenavon until the end of the season.