If you thought footballers only get a vacation and a “maybe drop a couple kilos after the holidays” checklist at the end of the year… nope. Dubai is a whole different vibe. On December 28, 2025, the Globe Soccer Awards ceremony went down in the ultra-glossy setting of Atlantis The Royal—where even the air feels premium.
A Dubai Night When Trophies Crave the Spotlight
Globe Soccer flipped the switch on its usual “football Oscars” mode: celebrities, camera flashes, endless handshakes—and, of course, trophies flying off to very familiar addresses.
Dembélé Is Player of the Year: When Pace + Brains = Jackpot
The main men’s prize—Best Men’s Player—went to Ousmane Dembélé. And honestly, no jokes here: this is the story of a guy who stopped being “talented, but…” and became a straight-up game-changer. Officially: the best of the year.
Luis Enrique Is Coach of the Year: “The Plan Worked, Gentlemen”
Best Coach went to Luis Enrique. The shortlist was stacked, but by year’s end he was the one lifting the trophy—and you can bet it flew back to Paris with a “this goes in the cabin, please” kind of energy.
Ronaldo Is the Middle East King: Even Arguing About It Feels Tired Now
The Best Middle East Player award once again went to Al-Nassr’s Cristiano Ronaldo. Yes, he’s 40. Yes, he’s still front and center. Yes, the 1,000-goal talk is still very much alive—and most importantly, he keeps collecting awards like it’s a daily routine, right up there with morning stretches.
Yamal Took Forward of the Year—And Added the Maradona Award on Top
For Lamine Yamal, the night was pure “big money” vibes: he was named Best Forward, and he also picked up the Maradona Award—an extra badge for raw talent (the kind even people who watch football with one eye can’t miss).
Vitinha and Doué: The Midfield Can Be a Headliner Too
Best Midfielder went to Vitinha, while Emerging Player (best young/breakthrough talent) went to Désiré Doué. So if anyone’s asking, “why is this PSG being talked about again?”—there’s your answer. They don’t win trophies one at a time; they take them in bundles.
PSG in Full Trophy-Vacuum Mode
And just to lock in the “Paris is everywhere” effect: Paris Saint-Germain were named Best Men’s Club. Plus, the behind-the-scenes heavyweights got their shine too: Luis Campos as Best Sporting Director, and Nasser Al-Khelaifi as Best President.
When Emotion Beats Status: The Heaviest Moment of the Night
One of the most moving moments was a special award presented to the parents of Diogo Jota—Joaquim and Isabel Silva—while the entire room rose for a standing ovation. Moments like that snap you back into reality and remind you that behind the football are real people and real stories.
And Novak Djokovic received the Globe Sports Award—because sometimes a football ceremony needs someone to quietly remind everyone that sport is bigger than one ball.
La Liga Had Its Turn Too: Barca Scooped the Individual Awards
The ceremony also included La Liga’s 2024/25 season awards: Hansi Flick was named Coach of the Year, Raphinha took Player of the Year, Yamal was Young Player of the Year, and Jan Oblak won for Best Save.
So, What Do We Take From This Football “Oscar” Night?
The vibe is pretty clear: PSG were the headline brand of the evening, Barca looked like an individual-star factory, and Ronaldo remains the eternal news machine—not aging, just getting software updates. And if anyone worried football goes quiet in December—relax. Dubai closes the season so loudly the echo carries straight into January.
