Record 70m votes cast during first round of polling for Globe Soccer Dubai Awards

Interest in next month’s annual Globe Soccer Dubai Awards with the support of Dubai Sports Council has already hit fever pitch, with a record-equalling 70 million votes being cast during the first polling window.

The record number of votes have determined the finalists across eight of the 12 main categories ahead of a prestigious gala, set to take place alongside the 19th Dubai International Sports Conference on December 27 at Atlantis, The Palm in partnership.

The first round of public voting closed on Monday, with more than double the amount of votes registered at the same stage of 2023, and participation from over 200 nations worldwide.

Additionally, the Globe Soccer mobile app has surpassed 1.5 million downloads, underlining the event's global appeal.

Manchester City’s Erling Haaland will be vying to retain his Best Men’s Player award at the 15th edition of the showpiece event at the five-star venue, with club teammate Rodri, Real Madrid trio Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Júnior and Jude Bellingham, as well as legendary duo Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi among the stars standing in his way.

The Norwegian is also a contender in the 10-man shortlist in the Best Forward category, which includes City colleague Phil Foden, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, and Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane. The Best Midfielder category consists of the aforementioned Bellingham and Rodri, with Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka also in the running.

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