Ronaldo Clinches Best Middle East Player Award at 2025 Globe Soccer Awards

Portuguese football legend, Cristiano Ronaldo has been named Best Middle East Player at the 16th edition of the Globe Soccer Awards, held on Sunday in Dubai, further cementing his influence and dominance in the region’s football scene.

The 40-year-old Al-Nassr forward emerged winner ahead of high-profile rivals including Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad), Riyad Mahrez (Al-Ahli) and Saudi international Salem Al-Dawsari (Al-Hilal) in a fan-voted category that celebrates outstanding performances across Middle Eastern leagues.

The award was announced by renowned football journalist Fabrizio Romano via his X (formerly Twitter) handle.
“Cristiano Ronaldo wins Best Middle East Player Award at Globe Soccer 2025,” Romano wrote.

The latest honour marks Ronaldo’s second consecutive win, having also claimed the award in 2024, and highlights his sustained excellence since his high-profile move to the Saudi Pro League in 2023.

Despite being in his fifth decade, Ronaldo has continued to defy age, enjoying a remarkable 2025 campaign in which he scored 40 goals since his February birthday, a statistic that underscores his enduring fitness, professionalism and goal-scoring instinct.

Since joining Al-Nassr, the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus star has played a pivotal role in elevating the global profile of Saudi football, attracting worldwide attention to the league while delivering consistently strong performances on the pitch.

The Globe Soccer Awards, organised annually in Dubai since 2010, recognise excellence across the football ecosystem, honouring players, coaches, clubs, managers and administrators who have made significant impacts over the year.

At the ceremony, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) were crowned Best Men’s Club after a historic season in which they won the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France.

PSG’s success was further reflected in several individual honours, with Luis Enrique named Best Coach, Vitinha winning Best Midfielder, Désiré Doué awarded Emerging Player of the Year, and Luis Campos recognised as Best Sporting Director.

Ronaldo’s latest accolade adds to his vast collection of individual honours and reinforces his status as one of football’s most influential figures, both on and off the pitch, as he continues to set benchmarks in the Middle East and beyond