The Cristiano Ronaldo Best Middle East Player Globe Soccer Awards 2025 victory was the headline moment of the 16th edition of the Dubai gala on Sunday, December 28. For the second consecutive year, the 40-year-old Al Nassr captain was voted the top performer in the region, beating out elite competition from the likes of Karim Benzema, Riyad Mahrez, and Salem Al-Dawsari. The award cements Ronaldo’s status as the definitive face of the Saudi Pro League and his continued dominance in the fifth decade of his life.
A major highlight of the Cristiano Ronaldo Best Middle East Player Globe Soccer Awards 2025 was the forward’s bold declaration regarding his career longevity. During his acceptance speech, Ronaldo reaffirmed his mission to reach an unprecedented milestone: “I will reach 1,000 goals for sure, if I stay injury-free,” he told the star-studded audience. As of December 29, 2025, Ronaldo sits at 956 senior career goals, having already scored 40 goals in the 2025 calendar year alone—the 14th time in his career he has reached the 40-goal mark.
The Cristiano Ronaldo Best Middle East Player Globe Soccer Awards 2025 ceremony also featured a light-hearted moment that went viral. Noticing the microphones were set too low for his 6’2″ frame, Ronaldo playfully adjusted them and joked, “This is for the simple people,” drawing widespread laughter from the crowd. Beyond the jokes, Ronaldo expressed his deep passion for the game, noting that while it is “hard to keep playing” at his age, his motivation to win trophies and score goals remains “stronger than ever.”
While the night celebrated the Cristiano Ronaldo Best Middle East Player Globe Soccer Awards 2025 achievement, the broader gala was dominated by European powerhouses. Ousmane Dembélé was named the Best Men’s Player of the Year, while PSG swept several categories, including Best Men’s Club and Best Coach (Luis Enrique). However, for the Middle Eastern audience, the sight of Ronaldo lifting yet another individual trophy served as a powerful reminder of his transformative impact on the region’s footballing credibility
