Goal of the Year (Germany)
The Goal of the Year in Germany is, like the "Goal of the Month" (), the "Goal of the Decade" and "Goal of the Century", an individual soccer award selected by spectators of the "Sportschau" (ARD German TV), among spectacular or important soccer goals scored in or for Germany. Klaus Fischer won it three times; his 1977 "Bicycle kick" was also pronounced "Goal of the Century". He scored it on 16 November 1977 in the international game of Germany versus Switzerland in the Neckarstadion, Stuttgart. Details. The "Goal of the Month Award" and its sister event , the "Goal of the Year Award", were incepted in 1971 by the German TV station ARD, one of two public broadcasting channels. Each month, the GotM is held, and five especially spectacular, unusual or important goals are shortlisted for the viewers to vote on. Initially votes were only cast per mail, but nowadays votes are commonly made by telephone or over the Internet. The winner gets a golden plaque which is one of the most-sought individual awards in German soccer. The 12 winners are then eligible for the big annual event, the GotY Award. Again, the goal with the  most votes wins. Parallel to this, the 10 annual winners may participate in the "Goal of the Decade Award", and in 1999, the "Goal of the Decade" of the 70s, 80s and 90s squared off for the "Goal of the Century Award", see above.