Iconic hockey goal: India’s Deepika among Poligras Skill Award nominees | Watch her solo magic

New Delhi: Indian women’s hockey team forward Deepika has earned a nomination for the prestigious Poligras Magic Skill Award for her exceptional solo goal against World No. 1 the Netherlands during the 2024–25 FIH Hockey Pro League.

Voting deadline and global selection process

The nominations for the Poligras Magic Skill Award were announced on Friday. The voting is open until July 14 at 3:29 am IST, with the winner to be revealed following the conclusion of the public vote. The award is entirely fan-decided, with hockey supporters from across the globe selecting the best skill or goal of the season.

Deepika’s brilliant solo moment in Bhubaneswar

Deepika’s moment of brilliance came in February 2025 during the Bhubaneswar leg of the league, when India held the Netherlands to a 2-2 draw and then triumphed in the shootout at Kalinga Stadium.

In the 35th minute, while India were two goals behind, Deepika produced a solo run down the left flank, manoeuvring past the Dutch defence. She touched the baseline, lifted the ball over a defender’s stick, and delivered a precise strike past the goalkeeper into the net.

A personal highlight for the 21-year-old

“That goal against the Netherlands is one of the most special moments of my career. Everything just clicked and it helped us equalise and win the game in shootout. I’m honoured to be nominated for the Poligras Magic Skill Award and grateful for the support of our fans. Moments like these are what we train so hard for. Your votes and support motivates me to keep pushing my limits and give it my all for India. I also want to thank my coaches, the support staff, and most importantly, my teammates for their constant encouragement and belief in me,” said Deepika, the 21-year-old prolific attacker.

Other nominees for the award

Joining Deepika among the women’s category nominees are:

• Patricia Alvarez of Spain for her 3D skills and goal against Australia, where she used outstanding technique to win the ball, juggle past the rushing goalkeeper, and score.
• A team goal by Australia against England, involving a five-pass sequence in the opposition’s half followed by a powerful strike.

Public voting now open

The global vote is open to all, allowing fans to pick their favourite skill from the 2024–25 FIH Hockey Pro League season.