Cong Vinh and Kim Chi named as best footballers of 2007

Le Cong Vinh and Doan Kim Chi have won the men’s and women’s Golden Ball titles of 2007. This is the third time these two players have been honoured with the title. 

Cong Vinh	KimChi

The results of the poll, which involved 155 sports journalists, coaches and experts, were announced in Ho Chi Minh City on March 4,

Vinh from Petroleum Finance-Song Lam Nghe An won the best male footballer of the year with 425 points. The silver ball went to Nguyen Minh Phuong from Dong Tam Long An. Binh Duong’s Nguyen Vu Phong won the bronze ball.

Vinh is currently a leading Vietnamese striker. He has won the Golden Ball title three times (2004, 2006, 2007), matching veteran striker Le Huynh Duc’s record who was honoured in 1995, 1997 and 2002.

In the women’s poll, Kim Chi surpassed Ha Tay’s Dao Thi Mien and Ho Chi Minh City’s Tran Thi Kim Hong to take the Golden Ball with 420 points. They all made substantial contributions to the 2007 Southeast Asian Games silver medal of Vietnam. Kim Chi also gained the Golden Ball title in 2004 and 2005.

Meanwhile Nguyen Thanh Long Giang from T&T Hanoi Club won the Best Junior Player title for the second consecutive time. The Foreign Player of the Year Award was given to Brazilian Jose Almeida from SHB Da Nang team.

The voting for Golden Ball award is launched by the Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Saigon) newspaper, the organiser of annual voting for the titles since 1995.

The awards will be presented to the owners of the 2007 titles later this month. Vinh will receive VND 20 million while Phuong and Phong will get VND 15 million and VND  10 million. The women’s prizes are VND 15 million, VND 10 million and VND 7 million, respectively. The Junior of the Year and the Foreign Player of the Year will pocket VND 7 million each.