Midfielder Nguyễn Hoàng Đức poses with fans after winning the 2025 Men’s Golden Ball award.  Photo baovanhoa.vn

Football

HÀ NỘI Midfielder Nguyễn Hoàng Đức has once again ascended to the pinnacle of Vietnamese football, after being awarded the 2025 Men’s Golden Ball.

This marks the third time the player has received this accolade, following his victories in 2021 and 2023.

No longer a surprise or a fleeting moment of brilliance, this award is clear confirmation of Đức’s exceptional skill and his ability to sustain elite performance over time.

After receiving the Golden Ball at an awards ceremony in HCM City, Đức said: “This award is a strong motivation for me to continue contributing and pursuing achievements with my club, Ninh Bình, and the Vietnamese national team.”

Đức was a central figure in helping Ninh Bình secure the V.League 2 title in the 2024–25 season, earning the club promotion to the national premier league.

Following the first 11 matches of V.League 1 this season, his outstanding performance — five goals and six assists — has helped make Ninh Bình the only unbeaten team, with eight wins and three draws, firmly atop the league table.

At the national level, Đức played a vital role in helping Việt Nam secure the ASEAN Cup 2024.

Now, with three Golden Ball awards to his name, Đức has matched the accomplishments of his predecessors Lê Huỳnh Đức and Lê Công Vinh. He is also closing in on the record of Phạm Thành Lương, who won the honour four times.

At just 27 years old, Đức is entering the prime of his professional career, giving him a genuine opportunity to break the Vietnamese Golden Ball record.

Regarding this potential achievement, Đức commented: “This is an individual award, which I deeply cherish. Catching up to Thành Lương’s record is still a long journey. In football, we can't predict anything.” 

“Personally, Thành Lương is one of my idols in Việt Nam,” he added.

As Vietnamese football continues to produce new talents, Đức remains a central figure — a ‘soft pillar’ in midfield whose influence is both calm and decisive.

Spending five consecutive years on the award's top three list and winning the Vietnamese Golden Ball itself three times is not merely a statistic, but a testament to discipline, consistency and perseverance.

From a promising young talent, Đức has steadily established an irreplaceable role for both club and country.

This left-footed midfielder doesn't seek the limelight or off-field fame. Instead, he captivates fans through his intelligent movement, sharp tactical awareness, tempo control and subtle touches that define a top-class midfielder.

Remarkably, Đức didn't just peak for a short time. He has maintained consistent form over multiple seasons and various tournaments, from the national team to his club. In an era of packed schedules and escalating performance pressure, sustaining high levels of play is a challenge for any athlete.

Yet Đức has risen to that challenge. Whether in domestic leagues with Ninh Bình or high-stakes matches for the Vietnamese national team, he remains one of the first names mentioned when discussing the country’s most influential midfielders.

It is this perseverance that has secured Đức's place among the greatest players in Vietnamese football history. With his third Golden Ball award, he stands just one step away from matching Thành Lương's record of four wins.

Considering his current form, it's not far-fetched to believe that Đức could equal or even surpass Thành Lương’s record in the near future. The 27-year-old is at the peak of his career, equipped with the experience, composure and ambition to conquer new milestones.

More importantly, his third Golden Ball represents not an endpoint, but fresh momentum.

As Vietnamese football looks toward higher ambitions on the regional and continental stage, the importance of players like Nguyễn Hoàng Đức continues to grow. VNS