Erik Lamela has never scored a better goal than his astonishing rabona effort and is determined to use the strike as a catalyst to kick on at Tottenham.

The rabona, where the kicking leg wraps around the standing leg, is hard enough to pass or cross with, never mind score.

However, Lamela showed incredible creativity and poise to score with a rabona from 20 yards during Spurs' 5-1 defeat of Asteras Tripolis in the Europa League on Thursday.

The goal is a strong contender for the FIFA Puskas Award for the best goal of the year and, remarkably, it is not the first time the Argentinian has scored a goal like that.

Asked if that was the best goal of his life, Lamela said: "Yes, I think so. I think so.

"I've scored like that before, when I was playing in the junior sides at River Plate. It just happened in a flash.

"I wasn't thinking about doing something like that, I just wanted to score and it was the most effective, comfortable way of making it happen.

"It's something I'll always remember because it's something different from the other goals I've scored."

Lamela scored a brace against Asteras, complementing Harry Kane's hat-trick, but it was the 22-year-old's rabona strike which may well prove the defining moment in his Tottenham career.

Many had written off the club-record £30m signing after a miserable first season in north London, yet he is beginning to show glimpses of his undoubted quality under head coach Mauricio Pochettino

"The goal was important for me but also because I needed to score, any type of goal," said Lamela, whose team takes on Newcastle United tomorrow.

"I'm happy for the goal and the win. I hope to continue in this way but it's just one game for me.

"I need to think about doing other things well and continuing to improve."