‘Move over Ronaldo’: Fans go wild over Pakistan star’s bicycle kick in Diamond Jubilee final

LAHORE: Pakistan forward Shayak Dost has become the talk of social media after scoring a spectacular bicycle kick in the final of the Diamond Jubilee International Football Tournament against Afghanistan.

The stunning strike came in the 24th minute when midfielder Otis Khan miscued an effort inside the penalty area. The loose ball fell kindly to Dost, who reacted instantly with an overhead kick that left spectators and fans online in awe.

While Pakistan eventually secured a 2-0 victory thanks to a late goal from Harun Hamid, it was Dost’s acrobatic finish that dominated the conversation after the match.

Football fans quickly flooded social media with praise, with many drawing playful comparisons to some of the sport’s biggest names.

“Move over Ronaldo, Pakistan has its own bicycle-kick specialist: Shayek Dost!” one fan wrote.

Another joked: “Ronaldo and Bale used to watch Shayek Dost’s bicycle kick,” referencing legendary overhead goals scored by Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale.

Others kept it simple.

“Damn, it was a brilliant goal,” one user commented, echoing the reaction of many viewers who watched clips of the strike circulate online.

The forward also emerged from the tournament with a new fan-given nickname, with supporters affectionately dubbing him the “Prince of Noshki.”

Beyond the viral goal, the victory itself marked a significant milestone for Pakistan football. It was the country's first triumph in a senior men’s international final since the 1991 South Asian Games and its first standalone tournament title since the 1952 Asian Quadrangular Football Tournament, where Pakistan shared the crown with India.

For many fans, however, the image that will endure is not the trophy lift but Dost soaring through the air and producing a goal worthy of any highlight reel.

Thirty-three years of waiting. One bicycle kick. Pakistan are champions.