Hoang Duc, Bich Thuy, and Doan Phat win Vietnam Golden Ball Awards 2025

The Vietnam Golden Ball Awards 2025 ceremony, organized by Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper, took place on the evening of December 26 at Ben Thanh Theater in Ho Chi Minh City. The top honors were awarded to Nguyen Hoang Duc (Ninh Binh FC) for Men’s Golden Ball, Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy (Thai Nguyen T&T FC) for Women’s Golden Ball, and Chau Doan Phat (Thai Son Nam HCMC FC) for Futsal Golden Ball.

The event opened with the Dedication Player Award, presented to Nguyen Thi Tuyet Dung (Phong Phu Ha Nam FC). The Best Foreign Player title went to Alan Sebsatiao Alexandre (Hanoi Police FC), who surpassed Leonardo Artur de Melo and Patrik Le Giang, though Alan was absent from the ceremony due to personal reasons.

Nguyen Hoang Duc won the 2025 Most Popular Player Award, earning 2,045 fan votes. The Best Young Female Player title was awarded to Luu Hoang Van (Phong Phu Ha Nam FC), while Nguyen Dinh Bac (Hanoi Police FC) claimed the Best Young Male Player Award.

In the futsal category, coaches Nguyen Bao Quan and former goalkeeper Tran Minh Quang announced the top three. Chau Doan Phat (Thai Son Nam HCMC FC) won the Golden Ball, Tu Minh Quang (Thai Son Bac FC) received the Silver Ball, and Nguyen Da Hai (Thai Son Bac FC) took the Bronze Ball.

The hall erupted in applause when former national team player Do Thi Ngoc Cham announced that Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy (Thai Nguyen T&T FC) won the 2025 Women’s Golden Ball. Pham Hai Yen (Ha Noi FC) and Tran Thi Thuy Trang (Vietnam Women’s Futsal Team) received the Silver and Bronze Balls, respectively.

At exactly 10 p.m., the much-anticipated Men’s Golden Ball was revealed by coaches Le Huynh Duc (Golden Ball 1995, 1997, 2022) and Nguyen Hong Son (Golden Ball 1998, 2000). Midfielder Nguyen Hoang Duc (Ninh Binh FC) was named the 2025 Vietnam Golden Ball winner. This marks his third career Golden Ball (after 2021 and 2023) and his second award of the night, having also won the Most Popular Player title. The Silver Ball went to Nguyen Dinh Bac (Hanoi Police FC), while Nguyen Quang Hai (Hanoi Police FC) received the Bronze Ball.

During his speech, Le Quoc Minh, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper and Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists Association, emphasized that the award, established in 1995 by Sai Gon Giai Phong, has become a trusted and celebrated event that honors football excellence and inspires sportsmanship nationwide.

Marking the award's 30th edition, Sai Gon Giai Phong also launched the humanitarian program “Warm Coats to School,” aiming to support children in remote and disadvantaged areas affected by harsh weather and natural disasters. The initiative, backed by football stars and donors, has already distributed over 10,000 warm coats across eight provinces and aims to reach one million coats within ten years (valued at VND250,000 each).

From 2025 onward, the winners of the Vietnam Golden Ball Awards will also serve as ambassadors for the “Warm Coats to School” program, spreading compassion and community spirit through Vietnamese football.

The ceremony was attended by key leaders, including Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Commission Huynh Thanh Dat, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper Le Quoc Minh, Head of the Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Commission of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Duong Anh Duc, Vice Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Tran Thi Dieu Thuy, Deputy Head of the Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Commission of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Le Van Minh, Deputy Head of the Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Commission of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Tang Huu Phong, Vice President of the Vietnam Journalists Association Tran Trong Dung, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Journalists Association Nguyen Tan Phong and Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology Le Thanh Minh and representatives from the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company (VPF), and FPT Play. Representing the main sponsor was Tran Anh Minh, General Director of Thai Son Nam Group Joint Stock Company.