The 14th edition of the Globe Soccer Awards organised in collaboration with Dubai Sports Council will witness host to a number of current and former international stars as a total of total of 20 awards are up for grabs. Al-Nassr phenomenon, Cristiano Ronaldo, will aim to clinch his record seventh win while Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham is up for a record four awards in total.

The glittering gala will see Argentina’s World Cup-winning coach Lionel Scaloni, Brazil captain Casemiro, and Italian veteran coach Fabio Capello among others in attendance. Among the awards, the star-studded nomination list for Best Men’s Player will draw a lot of attention as it will see rivals Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo go head-to-head. As the coveted ceremony nears, here is everything you need to know ahead of it.

Time and venue for the Globe Soccer Awards 2023

The clock is ticking, and the Globe Soccer Award ceremony is set to kick off on January 19th, Friday. The stars will gather under one roof live at the iconic Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai, UAE, and will commence at 15:00 GMT.

A night of glitz and glamour will see more than 1,000 guests gather at the prestigious five-star venue located on Palm Jumeirah, one of the world’s largest man-made islands The luxurious venue will set the stage for the night, where everyone will be celebrating the excellence of the soccer stars.

Voting Rules: A fusion of fans and experts’ opinions

The Globe Soccer Awards aren’t just about the accolades, but they are about celebrating the sport through the eyes of fans as well. As a long 30-man list for Best Men’s player was revealed earlier, fans could cast their vote for their star of the year. The voting process involves two critical components – public voting and Globe Soccer’s Official Jury voting.

A new record was set during the two stages of the nomination process, with an accumulative total of more than 70 million votes – double the number of votes registered in 2022. Public voting formed the very cornerstone of the process, allowing enthusiasts worldwide to have their say by casting their vote for the stars. But the story doesn’t end there.

To ensure a comprehensive evaluation, a jury of over 30 sporting geniuses, including Italian soccer icon Francesco Totti and Spain’s World Cup winner Iker Casillas, weighs in with their expert opinions in the second phase. This dual-voting approach reflects the combined wisdom of fans and industry experts, giving verdicts democratically.

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Sponsorship Partners

Behind the glitz and glamor of the event, the sponsors stand united to contribute to the event. The theme of this year’s summit centers around “Sustainability and Performance in Football.” This coincides with the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards and DSC announcing a pioneering partnership with Neutral Carbon Zone.

The collaboration marks the first step of Globe Soccer’s journey to #NetZero, starting with the World’s First Carbon Neutral Soccer Awards.

The 2023 Globe Soccer Awards boasts a range of partners, including some renowned brands. The list of event sponsors includes:

• Presenting partner: Nakheel
• Supporting partner: Esaad
• Gold Sponsors: Italpreziosi, SUSHISAMBA Dubai, Silversands, Majesty Yachts, Montegrappa
• Platinum Sponsors: Audi, Emirates, Al Nabooda, Koora Break
• Media Partners: Sky Sports, Sport Business, La Presse, SSC, CNN, Marçà
• Image Partner: IMAGO

Awards and nominations

On the night, there will be 18 main awards, including Best Men’s Player, Best Woman’s Player, Best Men’s Club and Best Woman’s Club and Fans’ Favourite Player, as well as five digital awards and two inaugural Italian Serie A accolades. The Best Mens Player category pits the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, and Jude Bellingham. Ronaldo is also nominated for Fans’ Favourite Player alongside Messi, Bellingham, Al Hilal star Neymar, and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah. Bellingham is also up for Best Midfielder and Power Horse Emerging Player.

Egyptian side Al Ahly’s coach Marcel Koller has been shortlisted for the Best Coach category alongside the likes of Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti, Manchester City’s treble-winning manager Pep Guardiola, and Napoli’s Serie A-winning coach Luciano Spalletti. An all-new award for Best Middle East Player features Al-Nassr’s Ronaldo, Al Ittihad’s Karim Benzema, Al-Ahli’s Riyad Mahrez, Al Hilal’s Salem Al-Dawsari, and Mohamed El Shenawy of Al Ahly.

The Best Women’s Player award will pit Spain’s World Cup winner Aitana Bonmatí against Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala and Colombia’s Linda Caicedo, as well as Mary Earps (Manchester United), Amanda Ilestedt (Arsenal), and Sam Kerr (Chelsea).

Al Ahly of Egypt, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Italian Serie A champions Napoli and Copa Libertadores champions Fluminense of Brazil are among the nominees for Best Men’s Club. For the Best Women’s Club Barcelona is competing against Arsenal, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, and Roma.

For the Best Middle East Club, 43-time Egyptian Premier League champions Al Ahly joined by Saudi trio Al Nassr, Al Ittihad, and Al Hilal and UAE side Shabab Al Ahli. Apart from these awards, the event will feature two inaugural Serie A-specific awards- Serie A Best Digital Content by a Player and Serie A Best Digital Content by a Club and five digital awards.

How to watch the 2023 Dubai Globe Soccer Awards

For those unable to witness the spectacle in person, fear not. The Globe Soccer Awards will be broadcast live on DAZN for the fans in the USA.

So, are you ready to join the gala and unmask the best soccer stars for the year 2023 at the Globe Soccer Awards? It will be interesting to see the list of winners after the ceremony. With Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi also headlining the nominees, the tale has become more intriguing. Who do you think will bag the Best Men’s Player award? Let us know in the comments section!

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