Most fans know and recognize the Ballon d’Or gala and FIFA’s The Best awards as the two preeminent global annual football recognition events.
Presented by France Football, the Ballon d’Or is widely considered the most coveted individual award in the world, while FIFA has attempted to challenge that superiority with its own set of trophy presentations.
However, a relatively unknown player has been around for over a decade as the Globe Soccer Awards look to gain notoriety and clout for their annual ceremony held every January (until this year) in Dubai.
The Sporting News details where the Globe Soccer Awards come from and who the 2024 nominees are across their various award categories.
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What are the Globe Soccer Awards?
Founded in 2010, the Globe Soccer Awards are organized by their namesake, Globe Soccer, the gala has taken place every January in Dubai, United Arab Emirates to recognize the most prominent figures in the world of football.
The awards were founded by famed agent Jorge Mendes along with Italian businessman Riccardo Silva and Tommaso Bendoni. Mendes has won the Best Agent category in 11 of the 13 years of its existence.
“At the heart of Globe Soccer’s mission is a commitment to honoring all facets of the beautiful game,” reads the official website. “Their awards celebrate not just players, but the full spectrum of football stakeholders – from chairmen and agents to directors and referees.”
To recognize the best across the world of football in the 2024 calendar year, the Globe Soccer Awards will hold its next iteration of the ceremony earlier than usual, on December 27, in Dubai.
2024 Globe Soccer Awards nominees
In 2010, the first year of the ceremony, the Globe Soccer Awards consisted of just Best Agent, Best Director, and a Career Achievement Award. For the 2024 ceremony, there are 12 different main categories.
The selection committee, or “jury” as Globe Soccer refers to it, consists of dozens of individuals from around the world of football. It includes former players Francesco Totti, Ian Rush, and Luis Figo, current players such as Alexia Putellas, coaches Antonio Conte and Fabio Capello, former referees, club executives, businessmen, and even a member of the Dubai Sports Council among others.
There are some quirks to the categories. First off, there are “Best Forward” and “Best Midfielder” categories for the men but no “Best Defender.” Meanwhile, there is a “Best Coach” that is clearly restricted to the men’s side by the nominees, but no similar category for the women.
There also appears to be clear bias and blind spots in certain areas. Possibly thanks to Jorge Mendes’ influence, Portuguese players, clubs, and executives appear more often than usual, such as Sporting CP’s presence in the “Best Club” category despite being knocked out of last year’s continental competition in the Europa League Round of 16. Additionally, on the women’s side, not a single American player was nominated for Best Player, while no NWSL club was chosen as part of the Best Club nominees.
The following are all the nominees in every given category up for recognition at the 2024 iteration of the Globe Soccer Awards.
Best Men’s Player
| Name | Nationality | Club | Pos | Name | Nationality | Club | Pos |
| Nicolo Barella | Italy | Inter Milan | MF | Lionel Messi | Argentina | Inter Miami | FW |
| Jude Bellingham | England | Real Madrid | MF | Dani Olmo | Spain | Barcelona | MF |
| Hakan Calhanoglu | Turkey | Inter Milan | MF | Cole Palmer | England | Chelsea | MF |
| Dani Carvajal | Spain | Real Madrid | DF | Rodri | Spain | Man City | MF |
| Artem Dovbyk | Ukraine | Girona/Roma | FW | Rodrygo | Brazil | Real Madrid | FW |
| Phil Foden | England | Man City | FW | Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | Al Nassr | FW |
| Antoine Griezmann | France | Atletico Madrid | MF | Bukayo Saka | England | Arsenal | MF |
| Alejandro Grimaldo | Spain | Bayer Leverkusen | DF | Mohamed Salah | Egypt | Liverpool | FW |
| Viktor Gyokeres | Portugal | Sporting CP | FW | William Saliba | France | Arsenal | DF |
| Erling Haaland | Norway | Man City | FW | Federico Valverde | Uruguay | Real Madrid | MF |
| Harry Kane | England | Bayern Munich | FW | Vinicius Jr | Brazil | Real Madrid | FW |
| Toni Kroos | Germany | Real Madrid/Retired | MF | Vitinha | Portugal | PSG | MF |
| Robert Lewandowski | Poland | Barcelona | FW | Nico Williams | Spain | Athletic Club | FW |
| Ademola Lookman | Nigeria | Atalanta | FW | Florian Wirtz | Germany | Bayer Leverkusen | MF |
| Emiliano Martinez | Argentina | Aston Villa | GK | Granit Xhaka | Switzerland | Bayer Leverkusen | MF |
| Lautaro Martinez | Argentina | Inter Milan | FW | Lamine Yamal | Spain | Barcelona | FW |
| Kylian Mbappe | France | PSG/Real Madrid | FW |
Best Women’s Player
| Name | Nationality | Club | Name | Nationality | Club |
| Aitana Bonmati | Spain | Barcelona | Lauren Hemp | England | Man City |
| Lucy Bronze | England | Chelsea | Lauren James | England | Chelsea |
| Tabitha Chawinga | Malawi | Lyon | Marie-Antoinette Katoto | France | PSG |
| Grace Geyoro | France | PSG | Ewa Pajor | Poland | Barcelona |
| Manuela Giugliano | Italy | Roma | Salma Paralluelo | Spain | Barcelona |
| Caroline Graham Hanson | Norway | Barcelona | Alexia Putellas | Spain | Barcelona |
| Patricia Guijarro | Spain | Barcelona | Mayra Ramirez | Colombia | Chelsea |
| Giulia Gwinn | Germany | Bayern Munich | Lea Schuller | Germany | Bayern Munich |
| Yui Hasegawa | Japan | Man City | Khadija Shaw | Jamaica | Man City |
| Ada Hegerberg | Norway | Lyon | Glodis Viggosdottir | Iceland | Bayern Munich |
Best Men’s Club
| Club | Nation | Federation | Club | Nation | Federation |
| Al Ahly | Egypt | AFC | Inter Milan | Italy | UEFA |
| Al Ain | UAE | AFC | Man City | England | UEFA |
| Atalanta | Italy | UEFA | Olympiacos | Greece | UEFA |
| Atletico Minero | Brazil | CONMEBOL | PSG | France | UEFA |
| Bayer Leverkusen | Germany | UEFA | Real Madrid | Spain | UEFA |
| Botafogo | Brazil | CONMEBOL | Sporting CP | Portugal | UEFA |
Best Women’s Club
| Club | Nation | Federation | Club | Nation | Federation |
| Barcelona | Spain | UEFA | Lyon | France | UEFA |
| Bayern Munich | Germany | UEFA | Roma | Italy | UEFA |
| Chelsea | England | UEFA |
Best Coach
| Name | Nationality | Team | Name | Nationality | Team |
| Xabi Alonso | Spain | Bayer Leverkusen | Gian Piero Gasperini | Italy | Atalanta |
| Carlo Ancelotti | Italy | Real Madrid | Pep Guardiola | Spain | Man City |
| Mikel Arteta | Spain | Arsenal | Simone Inzaghi | Italy | Inter Milan |
| Luis Enrique | Spain | PSG | Lionel Scaloni | Argentina | Argentina |
| Luis de la Fuente | Spain | Spain |
Best Midfielder
| Name | Nationality | Club | Name | Nationality | Club |
| Nicolo Barella | Italy | Inter Milan | Rodri | Spain | Man City |
| Jude Bellingham | England | Real Madrid | Federico Valverde | Uruguay | Real Madrid |
| Hakan Calhanoglu | Turkey | Inter Milan | Vitinha | Portugal | PSG |
| Toni Kroos | Germany | Real Madrid/Retired | Florian Wirtz | Germany | Bayer Leverkusen |
| Dani Olmo | Spain | Barcelona | Granit Xhaka | Switzerland | Bayer Leverkusen |
| Cole Palmer | England | Chelsea |
Best Forward
| Name | Nationality | Club | Name | Nationality | Club |
| Artem Dovbyk | Ukraine | Girona/Roma | Kylian Mbappe | France | PSG/Real Madrid |
| Phil Foden | England | Man City | Mohamed Salah | Egypt | Liverpool |
| Erling Haaland | Norway | Man City | Vinicius Jr. | Brazil | Real Madrid |
| Harry Kane | England | Bayern Munich | Nico Williams | Spain | Athletic Club |
| Lautaro Martinez | Argentina | Inter Milan | Lamine Yamal | Spain | Barcelona |
Best Emerging Player
| Name | Nationality | Club | Name | Nationality | Club |
| Pau Cubarsi | Spain | Barcelona | Joao Neves | Portugal | PSG |
| Desire Doue | France | PSG | Aleksandar Pavlovic | Germany | Bayern Munich |
| Alejandro Garnacho | Argentina | Man United | Savinho | Brazil | Man City |
| Arda Guler | Turkey | Real Madrid | Lamine Yamal | Spain | Barcelona |
| Kobbie Mainoo | England | Man United | Kenan Yildiz | Turkey | Juventus |
Best Agent
| Name | Nationality |
| Giuliano Bertolucci | Brazil |
| Fernando Hidalgo | Argentina |
| Kia Joorabchian | Iran |
| Jorge Mendes | Portugal |
| Federico Pena | Brazil |
| Frank Trimboli | Australia |
| Pini Zahavi | Israel |
Best Sporting Director
| Name | Nationality | Club |
| Piero Ausilio | Italy | |
| Luis Campos | Portugal | |
| Edu Gaspar | Brazil | Arsenal |
| Sebastian Kehl | Germany | Bayer Leverkusen |
| Giovanni Sartori | Italy | |
| Hugo Viana | Portugal |
Best Middle East Player
This award recognizes the best player contracted to a Middle Eastern club.
| Name | Nationality | Club |
| Salem Al Dawsari | Saudi Arabia | Al Hilal |
| Mourad Batna | Morocco | Al Fateh |
| Kaku | Paraguay | Al Ain |
| Riyad Mahrez | Algeria | Al Ahli |
| Sergej Milinkovic-Savic | Serbia | Al Hilal |
| Soufiane Rahimi | Morocco | Al Ain |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | Al Nassr |
Best Middle East Club
| Club | Nation |
| Al Ahly | Egypt |
| Al Ain | UAE |
| Al Hilal | Saudi Arabia |
| Al Ittihad | Saudi Arabia |
| Al Nassr | Saudi Arabia |
.