Dubai Globe Soccer Awards to celebrate football icons at Expo 2020 Dubai

The 2021 Dubai Globe Soccer Awards will attract some big manes Image Credit: Supplied

The heart of Expo 2020 Dubai, the Al Wasl Plaza, will host the 12th edition of the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards on December 27, with stars of international football, celebrities and guests attending the Dubai International Sports Conference and ceremony.

The Dubai Sports Council will welcome the stars from the world of football to the Al Wasl Plaza for a gala to celebrate the football industry and the return of the football activities worldwide. This year has seen the reopening of stadiums and the awarding of continental titles and the qualification stage for the 2022 Qatar World Cup go ahead as planned. Football has kept the fans company right through the global health crisis, with games being aired for 16 months without a break.

This edition of the Awards will have 14 categories, including the first award for the Best Women’s Club of the Year, which joins the Best Women’s Player of the Year award, demonstrating the steady growth that professional women’s football.

Among those nominated for awards are winners of this year’s European and South American titles — such as Italy, Argentina and Chelsea — along with winners of national tournaments, including Manchester City, Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Lille. The greatest drama is reserved for one the most anticipated categories — Best Men’s Player of the Year, with nominees that Dubai has celebrated in the past — Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski nominated alongside the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Mohammad Salah.

Italy Euro 2020 — Italy’s team celebrates with the trophy on the podium after winning the Euro 2020 football championship final against England at Wembley stadium in London on July 11, 2021. Image Credit: AP

For the Best Coach of the Year, 14 distinguished candidates are nominated. Among them are the Italy’s Roberto Mancini and England’s Gareth Southgate, Chelsea’s Thomas Tuchel and Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola, Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni, along with Antonio Conte, Diego Simeone and Unai Emery.

Fifteen candidates are competing for the Best Club of the Year with almost the entire European football aristocracy represented with nine nominees from England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France.

Following her win in 2019 as Best Women’s Player of the Year, Manchester City and England footballer Lucy Bronze is once again among the top nominees for the category, alongside Alexia Putellas and US stars Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan. The Best Women’s Club of the Year has prominent clubs including Barcelona, Chelsea and Manchester City in contention for the award.

1.1542059-4113210607 — England's Lucy Bronze

Saeed Hareb, Secretary General of the Dubai Sports Council, said: “The scene on the evening of December 27 will be dazzling and full of icons of international football, hosted at the most famous Dome of Stars, the Al Wasl Plaza, in the heart of Expo 2020 Dubai. We are pleased that this special event, which combines the Dubai International Sports Conference and the prestigious Dubai Globe Soccer Awards, will be the closing scene of 2021, the year which witnessed major international football activities for the most famous sport in the world. Football fans in the UAE, Expo 2020 Dubai guests and hundreds of millions of people from countries all over the world will be watching the most awaited global event and will celebrate the victory of their favourite football stars.”

Tommaso Bendoni, CEO of Dubai Globe Soccer, added: “This year’s Dubai Globe Soccer Awards ceremony will, once again, be a great celebration of football and will recognise the excellence of the players, managers and agents who were able to make this season a success following the restart of the football business due the impact of the pandemic. The men and women who have demonstrated their skills and talent at all levels of the sport will be showcased against the stunning backdrop of Expo 2020 Dubai, making this an exceptionally special occasion. Hosting the awards in Dubai is an opportunity for us to thank everyone who kept working tirelessly throughout the last year in between Covid testing, bubbles and lockdowns.”

Following on from last year, football fans around the world will have the opportunity to pick their top five finalists from the initial nominees in each category through the public vote at the Globe Soccer website. Voting is now open and runs until December 8. This will be followed by a second round of voting from December 9 to 17 to choose this year’s winners. The winners will be chosen by the public and an international jury of sports coaches, directors and club presidents.