Thanh Luong scores fourth Vietnamese Golden Ball award

Pham Thanh Luong, a midfielder of Hanoi FC (previously Hanoi T&T), was named as winner of the 2016 Vietnamese Golden Ball at an awards gala in Ho Chi Minh City on the evening of January 4.

Thanh Luong (centre) wins the Vietnamese Golden Ball award for the fourth time.

In the 2016 season, Luong not only contributed significantly to Hanoi T&T’s V-League title with cunning through balls, but also performed outstandingly in the national team at the AFF Suzuki Cup.

For his brilliant showing, Luong was given the highest score of 246 points, 17 points more than the Silver Ball winner Luong Xuan Truong (Incheon United, K-League) and 54 points above the Bronze Ball owner Vu Minh Tuan (Quang Ninh Coal, V-League).

The Hanoi T&T midfielder was the first player in the history of Vietnamese football to win such a noble individual award four times, following previous victories in 2009, 2011 and 2014.

Ho Chi Minh City dominated the women’s football prizes, with its midfielder Huynh Nhu, defender Chuong Thi Kieu and goalkeeper Dang Thi Kieu Trinh crowned the winners of the Golden Ball, Silver Ball and Bronze Ball, respectively.

Concerning futsal, three players of Thai Son Nam Club as well as Vietnam’s national futsal team, including Tran Van Vu, Nguyen Minh Tri and Nguyen Bao Quan, were named for the Golden, Silver and Bronze Ball categories, respectively. This was the first year to see the three noble individual prizes presented to futsal players.

In addition to the men’s Silver Ball award, Luong Xuan Truong also won the “most favoured player” prize voted by fans.

Vu Van Thanh (Hoang Anh Gia Lai) and Le Hoai Luong (Ho Chi Minh City) were honoured as the best young male and female players of 2016, while striker Gaston Merlo (SHB Da Nang) was named the best foreign player of last year’s season.

The organising committee also presented devotion awards to veteran footballer, Tran Minh Chien and futsal player Nguyen Bao Quan.

(Source: NDO)