Football

Midfielder Nguyễn Hoàng Đức of Viettel is one of favourites for the Golden Ball award 2023. — Photo thanhnien.vn

HCM CITY — National team players dominated the list of candidates for the Golden Ball as the organising committee announced the awards to honour best players of 2023.

There are six regular categories for men's and women's footballer of the year, futsal players of the year, young men's and women's players of the year, foreign player of the year.

This year, a new Devotion Award has been added. It is given to player who has spent all life for the national football development and also earned remarkable personal achievement.

Among 20 candidates for the Male Footballer of the Year, 19 are national team players such as midfielder Nguyễn Hoàng Đức (Viettel), forward Phạm Tuấn Hải (Hà Nội) and goalkeeper Đặng Văn Lâm (Bình Định) and defender Quế Ngọc Hải (Sông Lam Nghệ An).

With his stable performance in both club and national team Hoàng Đức, the winner of last year award, is considered favourite in this category.

Organisers at the launch of the Golden Ball Awards on October 24 in HCM City. — Photo sggp.org.vn

In the women's side, organisers named 11 players who showed their best through the national best football achievement with a place in the 2023 Women's World Cup.

They are midfielder Nguyễn Thị Tuyết Dung (Phong Phú Hà Nam), forward Nguyễn Thị Thanh Nhã and Phạm Hải Yến (Hà Nội I), goalkeeper Trần Thị Kim Thanh and midfielder Nguyễn Thị Bích Thùy (HCM City I).

In futsal, Phạm Đức Hòa, Châu Đoàn Phát and Hồ Văn Ý of Thái Sơn Nam and Trần Minh Tuấn of Sanvinest Khánh Hòa are among 10 candidates.

Ten players in the list of Best Young Male Footballer of the Year include Nguyễn Đình Bắc (Quảng Nam), Thái Bá Đạt (PVF), Bùi Vĩ Hào (Bình Dương) and Khuất Văn Khang (Viettel).

The Golden Ball statues the nations top players will vie for. — Photo sggp.org.vn

Five Best Young Female Footballer of the Year candidates are Ngọc Minh Chuyên (Thái Nguyên T&T), Vũ Thị Hoa and Đào Thị Kiều Oanh (Hà Nội), Vũ Thị Hoa (Phong Phú Hà Nam) and Trần Nhật Lan (Việt Nam Coal-Minerals).

Bruno Cunha Cantanhede (Thanh Hóa), Herlison Caion (Hà Nội), Jhon Cley (Hà Nội Police), Rafaelson Bezerra Fernandes (Bình Định) and Victor Mansaray (HCM City) will vie for Best Foreign Player of the Year.

Football experts, coaches and sport journalists nationwide will vote in early November. The gala ceremony will be held in January 2024 in HCM City.

The Golden Ball Award has been organised by Sài Gòn Giải Phóng (Liberated Sài Gòn) Newspaper since 1995. — VNS