Jose Mourinho Jokes Harry Winks Was Too Honest About 50-Yard Wonder Goal

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Jose Mourinho has joked that Harry Winks was too honest and should have claimed he meant to score his stunning long-range effort against Ludogorets in the Europa League because it could win the FIFA Puskas Award.

Winks was by the touchline around 50 yards from goal when he sent the ball rifling into the top corner to give Spurs a 3-0 lead on the night, much to the surprise of everyone watching.

But rather than revel in admiration for an incredible strike, Winks came clean as soon as the game was over, telling BT Sport cameras that he was actually trying to find Gareth Bale.

“I'd love to sit here and say that I did [mean it], but I've got to be honest and say no. I saw Gaz run in. I'll take it at the end of the day,” Winks explained.

His manager had other ideas, however, and insisted he should have taken credit.

“Winks was honest and he said in an interview that he wanted to play a diagonal ball to Bale. If it was me, I would have said I did mean it and won the Puskas award,” Mourinho said afterwards during his own post-match media briefing.

Winks has missed the cut for the 2020 FIFA Puskas Award, handed to the scorer of the most beautiful goal of the previous 12 months, as the nominees were released this week.

The Spurs midfielder could still be nominated in 2021, although Mourinho is correct that his admission over it being an accident will probably count against him in those terms.

One Spurs player is actually nominated for the 2020 prize, with Son Heung-min getting the nod for his solo run and finish against Burnley in a Premier League game last December.

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