DUBAI: Emirati footballer Theyab Awana, who became an internet sensation this summer after scoring a back-heeled penalty, has been killed in a car crash, the country's football federation confirmed on Monday.

Awana died after being involved in an accident when travelling back from training in Al Ain to Abu Dhabi on Sunday, where he had been preparing for a World Cup qualifier against South Korea on October 11.

The 21-year-old midfielder hit the headlines for scoring a controversial 78th-minute penalty in the United Arab Emirates' 7-2 international friendly win over Lebanon in July.

Awana scored the penalty with his team already 6-2 up, nonchalantly jogging towards the ball, but then spinning 180 degrees at the last minute and scoring with a back-heeled kick.

He was shown a yellow card by referee Ali Hassan for his antics and a furious UAE coach Srecko Katanec hauled him straight off the pitch, despite Awana having only come on as a substitute 10 minutes earlier.

Team manager Ismail Rashed labelled the way the penalty was taken “disrespectful”.

Footage of the penalty was subsequently circulated on the web and received well over a million hits on YouTube.