Sai Gon Giai Phong Editor-in-chief Tran The Tuyen (C) speaks at Wednesday’s press conference

Four stars of the men’s national football team and four players of the women’s squad are the favorites for the 2008 Golden Ball Awards, whose winners will be named on March 24, the award organizer announced Wednesday.

Le Minh Thoi, who is in charge of the daily Sai Gon Giai Phong Sports, said midfielder Nguyen Vu Phong and defender Vu Nhu Thanh of V-League defending champions Becamex Binh Duong, and striker Le Cong Vinh and keeper Duong Hong Son of T&T Hanoi have received more votes than all other male candidates. They were key players of the men’s national football team that won last year’s ASEAN Cup

He added that among the female candidates, Do Ngoc Cham and Dao Thi Mien of Hanoi, and Dang Thi Kieu Trinh of HCMC have become the favorites.

The newspaper will organize a football gala in the city on March 24 to award the title winners – Golden Ball, Silver Ball, and Bronze Ball – at the Opera House. HCMC Television will air the event live.

Thoi told the conference, “We will name the winners at the gala because we want to make them happier then.”

However, the award organizer announced that the Best Junior Player title went to ACB Hanoi midfielder Pham Thanh Luong, a national team players. Luong received 116 of 148 valid votes.

Meanwhile, SHB Da Nang Club’s Brazilian striker Almeida won the Best Foreign Player title for the second time in a row with 110 of 148 valid votes. He scored 23 goals in his club’s 26 matches in the Vietnamese League last year.

Both Luong and Almeida will receive VND10 million (about US$580) each for their awards. Meanwhile, the men’s winners of the Golden Ball, Silver Ball and Bronze Ball will pocket VND25 million, VND20 million and VND15 million, respectively. The women’s title holders will get VND20 million, VND15 million and VND10 million, respectively.

Paint manufacturer 4 Oranges is the sponsor of the 2008 Golden Ball Awards. Chalermsak Pimolsri, marketing director of the company, said his company would consider extension of their sponsorship for future years.

The annual Golden Ball Awards has been organized since 1995.

Reported by Tuong Thuy