A non-league footballer who was released by Arsenal as a youngster has become an internet sensation after hitting a stunning 40-yard thunderbolt goal in the FA Cup.

More than 250,000 people have already tuned in to YouTube to see defender Rene Steer unleash his lethal left foot strike, which stunned fans at non-league St Neots Town on Tuesday night.

When the great Pele made a similarly audacious attempt in the 1970 World Cup against Czechezlovakia, the man widely regarded as the greatest footballer of all saw his effort go just wide.

The wonder-goal has already been tipped to be goal of the season, and Ladbrookes has given it a 50/1 chance.

Rene, 23, a football coach, said: ‘I remember seeing the ball and I just thought “Why not?”

‘I tried it in training last week and I hit one out of the astro. I didn’t realise how far it was, if I did I wouldn’t have hit it.

‘I can’t remember the flight or how I hit it, I just remember it hitting the cross bar and then I got ambushed.’

But his 71st minute strike was not good enough to win the game, and St Neots lost the second qualifying round replay 2-1.