- Football clubs will flock to Dubai to attend a glitzy ceremony on December 27
- Cristiano Ronaldo, Jude Bellingham and Rio Ferdinand were expected to be present
Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to be among a host of football legends past and present who will be attending this year’s Globe Soccer Dubai Awards.
The 39-year-old is about to make the short trip from his home in Saudi Arabia to Dubai to attend the prestigious event held at Atlantis, The Palm, on December 27.
More than 1,000 guests will attend the glitzy ceremony, with Jude Bellingham, Lamine Yamal and Rio Ferdinand also on the star-studded guest list.
Fifteen lucrative prizes will be awarded that evening, including the crowning of the best men’s and women’s players in the world.
A record 100 million votes were cast by fans from more than 200 countries and territories.
Cristiano Ronaldo, pictured at the Dubai Soccer Awards in January, will attend the gala
The Great and the Good of the Game will be at Atlantis, The Palm on December 27th
A record 100 million votes were cast to determine the world’s best players at the awards ceremony, with Ballon d’Or winner Rodri in the fray
Additionally, the Globe Soccer mobile app has surpassed 1.5 million downloads, underscoring the event’s global appeal.
Fans around the world had until December 10 to have their say and the winners will be determined by a combination of fan votes and the Globe Soccer Jury, made up of legendary names such as Marcello Lippi, Francesco Totti, Iker Casillas and Luis Figo .
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland was named the best men’s player of the year at the previous edition of the awards in January, while Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati took the best women’s player.
Pep Guardiola, who is having a season to forget by his own high standards, was crowned best coach, while his reigning Premier League champions were named best club.
At the European edition of the awards, held in Sardinia, Italy, in May, Kylian Mbappe and Xabi Alonso were named the best men’s football player and coach respectively.
Cole Palmer is one of four Premier League stars trying to win the best men’s award in Dubai
Two England stars are hoping to pick up the Women’s Player of the Year award this month
Ballon d’Or winner Rodri is among the favorites to win the top prize on Friday, with the Spaniard facing competition from the likes of Ronaldo, Bellingham and Vinicius Junior.
Rodri narrowly beat Vinicius Jr to the Ballon d’Or in October after helping Spain win the 2024 European Championship and dominate the Premier League and Europe with Manchester City. Real Madrid boycotted the awards after learning of Rodri’s triumph.
The Manchester City midfielder, who is expected to be out for the season after tearing his cruciate ligament in September, is one of four Premier League representatives on this year’s shortlist, with team-mate Haaland, Cole Palmer and Mohamed Salah also in the be a race.
Lucy Bronze and Lauren James will fly the flag for England as they compete for the title of Women’s Player of the Year, with the likes of Alexia Putellas and Khadija Shaw.