Cristiano Ronaldo in Dubai for Globe Soccer Awards
Portuguese will look to see-off competition from Griezmann, Mbappe in top player category
Dubai: Cristiano Ronaldo will lead a star-studded line-up when world football’s biggest names meet at Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah on Thursday for the 10th Globe Soccer Awards.
The Juventus and Portugal forward has his eye on a fifth Best Player Award but will have to see off competition from fellow nominees Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe, who won the World Cup with France this summer.
Other stars set for the red carpet include Fifa president Gianni Infantino, France coach Didier Deschamps, former England manager Fabio Capello, Brazilian legends Ronaldinho and Ronaldo, World Cup winner Blaise Matuidi and former referee Pierluigi Collina, all of whom will also be involved in the Dubai International Sports Conference on January 2 and 3.
“We are excited to welcome many of the football world’s biggest stars to Dubai and host them at Madinat Jumeirah,” said Amit Kaushal, chief executive officer of Dubai Holding, who are presenting the awards.
“We wish the three Player of the Year nominees the best of luck and we look forward to seeing who will win the other prestigious awards on what I am sure will be a memorable evening.
“These awards will showcase the best Dubai has to offer, from our fantastic infrastructure to world-leading entertainment facilities, and we are proud to partner with the Globe Soccer Awards to bring this exciting event to life.”
A TV audience of more than 800 million viewers is expected to watch the Globe Soccer Awards, which will also see trophies presented to the best coach, club, sporting director, referee and agent.
Special awards such as the Coach Career Award — presented by Du — and several Player Career Awards will also be made on the night.
Over the years, more than 90 Globe Soccer Awards have been presented to stars such as Lionel Messi, Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola and Francesco Totti.
“We have enjoyed nine great editions of the Awards, which wouldn’t be possible without the support of the Dubai Sports Council and the Dubai International Sports Conference,” said Globe Soccer CEO Tommaso Bendoni.
“After the important discussions, panels, interviews and presentations held during the Conference, the Globe Soccer Awards ceremony allows us to round off the two days with a glittering evening of celebration featuring a strong mix of international celebrities, business representatives and football heavyweights.”