23 players nominated for the Vietnam Footballer of the Year 2025

The 23 nominees for the 2025 Vietnam Golden Ball have emerged, indicating a tight race between seasoned players and rising talents.

On the morning of November 6, Saigon Liberation Newspaper – the organizer of the 2025 Vietnam Golden Ball Award – officially announced the list of 23 players nominated for the male Golden Ball category, the most prestigious honor in Vietnamese football. This marks the 30th edition of the award, celebrating three decades of recognizing the finest footballers in Vietnam.

This year’s competition is considered unpredictable as no single star stands out dominantly, while the younger generation is rapidly rising. Three U23 Vietnam players, Khuất Văn Khang (Viettel), Nguyễn Đình Bắc (Hanoi Police), and Nguyễn Hiểu Minh (PVF-CAND), are notable figures who contributed to U23 Vietnam’s victory at the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship and qualification for the 2026 U23 Asian Championship finals.

Additionally, a group of veteran players continues to be featured, including Nguyễn Tiến Linh, Nguyễn Hoàng Đức, Phạm Tuấn Hải, Nguyễn Quang Hải, Bùi Tiến Dũng, and Đỗ Duy Mạnh. Each has had an outstanding season with their clubs and the national team, promising a fiercely contested vote until the very end. Notably, Hanoi Police has the most representatives with names like Nguyễn Filip, Quang Hải, Cao Pendant Quang Vinh, and Đình Bắc – all instrumental in securing both the 2025 National Cup and Super Cup titles.

The 2024/25 V.League champions Nam Định have three nominees: Trần Nguyên Mạnh, Lâm Ti Phông, and Nguyễn Văn Vĩ. Meanwhile, Nguyễn Tiến Linh remains the top scorer in V.League with 13 goals, and Nguyễn Hoàng Đức shone for Ninh Bình, helping the team win the First Division and earning the Most Valuable Player award, returning him to the top candidate group.

Among the young players, Nguyễn Hiểu Minh, Nguyễn Thanh Nhàn (PVF-CAND), and Trần Trung Kiên (HAGL) continue to impress with consistent performances at their clubs and the U23 national team. According to the organizers, voting ballots will be sent to expert councils nationwide throughout November.

The 2025 Vietnam Golden Ball Award ceremony is expected to take place at the end of December in Ho Chi Minh City. The award not only honors talent but also spreads humanitarian values, encouraging resilience and exemplary lifestyles among Vietnamese players – who have contributed significantly to remarkable achievements this year such as the 2024 ASEAN Cup and the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship titles.