The gala ceremony of the 2024 Vietnam Golden Ball Award will kick off tonight, February 26, at Ben Thanh Theater in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, marking the 30th anniversary of the prestigious award, an event initiated and organized by Sai Gon Giai Phong (SGGP) Newspaper.
This year, the award features categories, including the golden, silver and bronze ball for men, women, the men’s futsal; the best foreign player, the best young male player and the best young female player.
As for the gold award category for women, Huynh Nhu once again appears in the top five finalists. This means the star striker of both the national team and Ho Chi Minh City Football Club (FC) has another opportunity to have one more trophy and hold the record with five previous Golden Ball awards. Will she add another to her collection tonight?
Meanwhile, the Golden Ball trophy is waiting for one among the notable names nominated in the top five, including Hoang Duc, Tien Linh, Quang Hai, Tuan Hai and Thanh Chung. Who will be the winner?
It is not easy to predict the winners as all the nominees have been key players of Vietnam's national team, which have recently triumphed at the 2024 ASEAN Cup thanks to collective strength and determination.
It has been 30 years since the first Vietnam Golden Ball Award was presented in 1995, marking a historic turning point for Vietnamese football.
The first Vietnam Golden Ball Award was launched in 1995, witnessed that the Vietnamese men’s football team qualified the semifinals of the SEA Games for the first time. The three decades later, the Vietnam Golden Ball Award 2024 once again witnessed a remarkable journey with glorious victories and first-ever achievements from Vietnamese men’s football team, futsal team, U19 football team and national women’s football team as securing the first-ever golden medal at SEA Games and the Southeast Asian champion for three times as well as earning tickets for World Cup.
It is so glad that the Vietnam Golden Ball Award, organized by Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper, has not only accompanied but also witnessed milestones of Vietnamese football over the years.
The top five nominees for the Golden Ball Award 2024 were announced, as following:
The list of nominees for Men's Golden Ball 2024 includes Nguyen Thanh Chung (Hanoi Football Club), Nguyen Hoang Duc (Viettel/ Phu Dong Ninh Binh Football Club), Nguyen Quang Hai (Hanoi Police Football Club), Pham Tuan Hai (Hanoi Football Club) and Nguyen Tien Linh (Becamex Binh Duong Football Club).
The list of top five nominees for Women’s Golden Ball 2024 includes Nguyen Thi Truc Huong (Vinacomin Football Club), Nguyen Thi Tuyet Ngan (Ho Chi Minh City I Football Club), Huynh Nhu (Lank FC/ Ho Chi Minh City I Football Club), Tran Thi Thuy Trang (Ho Chi Minh City I Football Club), Duong Thi Van (Vinacomin Football Club).
The list of nominees for Men's Futsal Golden Ball Award 2024 includes Nguyen Manh Dung (Thai Son Nam Ho Chi Minh City FC), Pham Duc Hoa (Thai Son Nam Ho Chi Minh City FC), Nguyen Thinh Phat (Thai Son Nam Ho Chi Minh City FC), Pham Van Tu (Thai Son Bac FC), Ho Van Y (Thai Son Nam Ho Chi Minh City FC).
Nominees for the title The Best Young Male Player are Nguyen Dinh Bac (Hanoi Police FC), Bui Vi Hao (Becamex Binh Duong FC), Khuat Van Khang (The Cong- Viettel FC) and Nguyen Thai Son (Dong A Thanh Hoa FC).
Meanwhile, the list of nominees for the title The Best Young Female Player includes Vu Thi Hoa (Phong Phu Ha Nam FC), Nguyen Thi Thuy Linh (Ho Chi Minh City I FC), Luu Hoang Van (Phong Phu Ha Nam FC).
As for The Best Foreign Player, nominees are Alan Alexander (Binh Dinh/ Hanoi Police Football Club), Hendrio Araujo (Thep Xanh Nam Dinh FC) and Rafaelson Bezerra Fernandes whose Vietnamese name is Nguyen Xuan Son (Thep Xanh Nam Dinh FC).
Brazilian footballer Rafaelson Bezerra Fernandes, a Vietnamese citizen with the name Nguyen Xuan Son, shared with SGGP Newspaper's reporter that he was proud to attend the gala night.
The striker early arrived in Ho Chi Minh City for the 2024 Vietnam Golden Ball Award Gala. He and his family flew from the capital city of Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City on the afternoon of February 25.
Upon receiving the invitation to the organization unit of the 2024 Vietnam Golden Ball Award, the Thep Xanh Nam Dinh and Vietnam national team striker expressed his excitement.
The Golden Ball is a highly meaningful and valuable award for Vietnamese football players, and for him, he was very proud of being present at the gala. This is the second time he has been invited to the event, but his feeling remains as special as the first time.
In the 2024 voting, Rafaelson was among the nominees and made it into the top three alongside fellow Brazilian players Alan (Hanoi Police Football Club) and Hendrio (Thep Xanh Nam Dinh Football Club).
He had a remarkable 2024 season, leaving a significant mark on his career. While still playing under the name Rafaelson, he won three individual awards in the 2023-2024 V-League season: Top Scorer, Best Player, and Best Goal. Additionally, he helped Thep Xanh Nam Dinh Foobtall Club secure the V-League championship.
By Quoc Cuong- Translated by Huyen Huong
Vietnamese football lovers will relive the warm atmosphere of the past 30 years, reviewing milestones of Vietnamese football, especially waiting for names to be honored on the award stage of the gala night.
The Vietnam Golden Ball Award 2024 is part of significant events organized by Sai Gon Giai Phong (SGGP) Newspaper to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975 – April 30, 2025) and the 50th anniversary of Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper's first publication (May 5, 1975 –2025).
The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company (VPF) and FPT Television Company (FPT Play) are professional evaluation supports for the Vietnam Golden Ball Award 2024.
LS Group and Thai Son Nam Group Joint Stock Company are the main sponsors of the Vietnam Golden Ball Award 2024.
Additionally, co-sponsors for the Vietnam Golden Ball Award 2024 are Vingroup, Sun Group, Loc Phat Vietnam Bank (LPBANK), Binh Dien Fertilizer Joint Stock Company, Seaholdings Real Estate Joint Stock Company, Vietnam Airlines, La Vela Saigon Hotel, Horizon Media Company, Trung Nguyen Legend Group, Global Smart Steel Company Limited (GB STEEL), Ocany Vietnam Company Limited, Thien Tan Company Limited, Nam Tien Technical Material Trading Joint Stock Company, Golden Lotus Construction Joint Stock Company, Quang Thinh Pharmaceutical and Medical Equipment Joint Stock Company - Ligpro sports care brand, Masu Company, Van Hien University and Nguyen Tat Thanh University.
