Globe Soccer Gala to award 21st century's best coach, player and team

This year's Globe Soccer Awards will look to honour not only the best players and coaches of 2020, but also the best of the 21st century.

Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the ceremony will be much smaller this year than usual, taking place on December 27 in Dubai.

"This very special edition is dedicated to all the stars of world football who expose themselves to the virus and left their holidays to play three games a week, travelling around the world to play matches and distract millions of people from their troubles," said Tommaso Bendoni, Dubai Globe Soccer CEO.

"Despite the difficulties at the moment, we couldn't stop celebrating this Gala."

What's new?

In this edition of the Awards, of which MARCA are the official newspaper, recognition will be given to the game's most important figures from 2001 to 2020.

Another novelty is that fans from all around the world will be allowed to participate in selecting the 28 finalists, who have previously been chosen at www.vote.globesoccer.com. Those votes will be added to those of a 25-member panel.

2020's best

In the category of the year's best player, there are eight finalists competing for the title that Cristiano Ronaldo has won on each of the last five occasions. Ronaldo himself is, of course, one, as well as Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski, Serge Gnabry, Ciro Immobile, Karim Benzema, Sadio Mane and Marquinhos.

For the best team, Bayern Munich are joined by Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Sevilla, and Liverpool.

Reigning best coach Jurgen Klopp is a finalist again, joined by Gian Piero Gasperini, Hansi Flick, Julen Lopetegui, and Thomas Tuchel.

The XXI century's best player

Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, Andres Iniesta, Arjen Robben, David Beckham, Fabio Cannavaro, Francesco Totti, Frank Lampard, Gianluigi Buffon, Iker Casillas, Kaka, Kylian Mbappe, Luis Figo, Luka Modric, Manuel Neuer, Mohamed Salah, Neymar, Steven Gerrard, Xavi Hernandez, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Zinedine Zidane, Philippe Lahm, and Robert Lewandowski are among the candidates.

There are four Spaniards nominated in Casillas, Xavi, Iniesta and Sergio Ramos, while 17 of the 28 have played in Spain.

For the first time, fans can vote to select a shortlist from the long list, which will be announced in early December.

The best team and coach of the XXI century

Sir Alex Ferguson, Carlo Ancelotti, Didier Deschamps, Joachim Low, Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola, Luiz Felipe Scolari, Marcello Lippi, Vicente Del Bosque and Zidane are all nominated as the best coach.

Al-Ahly, Barcelona, Bayern, Juventus, Liverpool, Manchester United, PSG and Real Madrid are contenders for the best team award.

Eight-time winner of the best agent award Jorge Mendes faces competition from Mino Raiola, Jonathan Barnett, Pini Zahavi and Giovanni Branchini this time around.