Beach Soccer Stars is an annual award ceremony in beach soccer organised by the sport's developmental body, Beach Soccer Worldwide (BSWW).
The first edition was held on 7 November 2014 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The ceremony continued to take place in the Emirate every year until 2023, occurring after the conclusion of the Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup during the first week of November and has been called beach soccer's version of the better known Ballon d'Or in association football.
A gala event, attended by many of the world's top current and former players, coaches, officials and other beach soccer figures, five individual prizes are awarded for the best beach soccer player of the year, best goalkeeper of the year, best coach, rising star and best goal. Further awards are presented to the five players that, combined, are deemed to produce a dream team for that season as well as a prize for best event of the year. In 2017, a sixth individual award was introduced for best women's player of the year, a seventh in 2019 to recognise a legendary figure of the sport, and an eighth and ninth in 2023 for best women's goalkeeper and best refereeing figure.
Various parties decide the award winners, including coaches, players, BSWW expert panel and fans. In 2016, coaches and captains from a total of 75 national beach soccer teams voted on the awards, rising to 115 teams in 2021.
The most recent edition, the eleventh, celebrating achievements in 2025, took place on 22 May 2026 in El Puerto de Santa María, Spain.
Winners There was no ceremony held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2023 edition was delayed until February 2024 to coincide with the scheduling of the 2024 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Dubai.
Best player Decided by: Players and coaches
Fellow national team captains and coaches vote for who they want to be crowned best player of the year. BSWW reveal a shortlist of the three players with the most votes prior to the ceremony. On the awards night, the winner of the award with the most votes of the three is revealed as the best player of the year.
+Shortlists of three players with most votes ( Award winner ):YearPlayerTeamBruno Xavier Llorenç Gómez Noël Ott Madjer Bruno Xavier Heimanu Taiarui Madjer Gabriele Gori Dejan Stankovic Mauricinho Bruno Xavier Mohammad Ahmadzadeh Llorenç Gómez Bruno Xavier Datinha Jordan Santos Gabriele Gori Rodrigo Ozu Moreira Philipp Borer Léo Martins Bê Martins Noël Ott Chiky Ardil Rodrigo Bê Martins Noël Ott Bê Martins Jordan Santos Rodrigo Rodrigo Thanger Bê Martins
Best goalkeeper Decided by: Players and coaches
Fellow national team captains and coaches vote for who they want to be crowned best goalkeeper of the year. BSWW reveal a shortlist of the three players with the most votes prior to the ceremony. On the awards night, the winner of the award with the most votes of the three is revealed as the best goalkeeper of the year. +Shortlists of three goalkeepers with most votes ( Award winner ):YearPlayerTeam2014Dona Andrey Bukhlitskiy Peyman Hosseini 2015Jonathan Torohia Andrey Bukhlitskiy Elinton Andrade 2016Elinton Andrade Vitalii Sydorenko Jonathan Torohia 2017Peyman Hosseini Mão Maxim Chuzhkov 2018Elinton Andrade Mão Maxim Chuzhkov 2019Maxim Chuzhkov Simone del Mestre Mão Eliott Mounoud Stanislav Kosharnyi Al Seyni Ndiaye Eliott Mounoud Dona Yoao Rolón Leandro Casapieri Eliott Mounoud Tiago Bobô Pedro Mano Eliott Mounoud Tiago Bobô Tiago Bobô Pedro Mano Leandro Casapieri
Best coach Decided by: Players and coaches
Fellow national team captains and coaches vote for who they want to be crowned best coach of the year. BSWW reveal a shortlist of the three coaches with the most votes prior to the ceremony. On the awards night, the winner of the award with the most votes of the three is revealed as the best coach of the year.
+Shortlists of three coaches with most votes ( Award winner ):YearCoachTeam(s) managed2014 Mikhail Likhachev Angelo Schirinzi ; "Angelo Schirinzi, le ‘coach’ et ami des Tiki Toa"; Joaquín Alonso 2015 Mário Narciso Mikhail Likhachev Tehina Rota 2016 Mário Narciso Angelo Schirinzi ; ; "With the recent addition of Angelo Schirinzi as Bahamas’ head coach"; Marcin Stanisławski 2017 Gilberto Costa Mário Narciso Mohammad Mirshamsi 2018 Gilberto Costa Angelo Schirinzi ; Kristall (club) Joaquín Alonso 2019 Gilberto Costa Nico Alvarado Angelo Schirinzi ; Kristall (club) Mikhail Likhachev Nico Alvarado Angelo Schirinzi ; Kristall (club) Angelo Schirinzi Guga Zloccowick Ramiro Amarelle Christian Méndez ; Emiliano Del Duca ; Llorenç Gómez Marco Octávio Bruno Torres Braga (club) Mário Narciso Nico Alvarado Emiliano Del Duca Alan Cavalcanti
Rising star award Decided by: BSWW panel of experts
Experts at BSWW decide which player will be crowned the best rising star of the year. On the awards night, the winner of the award is revealed. No preliminary shortlist is disclosed. YearWinnerTeamDate of birth & age when awarded2014Noël Ott 2015Bê Martins 2016Rodrigo 2017Boris Nikonorov 2018Mohammad Moradi 2019Josep Junior 2021Raoul Mendy 2022Luca Bertacca 2023Gustav Madsen 2024Suli Batis 2025Bruno Pola
Best five Decided by: Players and coaches
Fellow national team captains and coaches vote for the five players that they believe, combined, form the best team of the year, similar to the FIFA World XI award in association football. On the awards night, the five winners of the award with the most votes are revealed as the Best Five. +2014–2019YearPlayersTeamPosition2014Dona Goalkeeper Ilya Leonov DefenderOzu Moreira DefenderBruno Xavier MidfielderLlorenç Gómez Forward2015Jonathan Torohia Goalkeeper Heimanu Taiarui Defender Ozu Moreira Defender Bruno Xavier MidfielderMadjer Forward2016Elinton Andrade GoalkeeperOzu Moreira Defender Bruno Xavier MidfielderMadjer ForwardDejan Stankovic Forward2017Mão GoalkeeperBruno Xavier DefenderMauricinho MidfielderNoël Ott ForwardMohammad Ahmadzadeh Forward2018Elinton Andrade GoalkeeperOzu Moreira Defender Bruno Xavier DefenderDatinha MidfielderLlorenç Gómez Forward2019Maxim Chuzhkov Goalkeeper Ozu Moreira DefenderJordan Santos MidfielderRodrigo MidfielderGabriele Gori Forward+2021–2026YearPlayersTeamPosition2021Eliott Mounoud Goalkeeper Catarino DefenderOzu Moreira DefenderPhilipp Borer MidfielderBê Martins Forward2022Eliott Mounoud Goalkeeper Ozu Moreira DefenderBê Martins MidfielderNoël Ott ForwardChiky Ardil Forward2023Leandro Casapieri GoalkeeperOzu Moreira DefenderBruno Xavier DefenderBê Martins MidfielderRodrigo Forward2024Pedro Mano GoalkeeperBê Martins DefenderJordan Santos MidfielderRodrigo ForwardLéo Martins Forward2025Tiago Bobô GoalkeeperThanger DefenderJosep Junior DefenderBê Martins MidfielderRodrigo Forward
Best goal Decided by: Fans
BSWW allow fans to vote for which goal will be named best of the year through their website. Fans have a shortlist of ten goals to choose from, nominated by BSWW. On the awards night, the winner of the award is revealed. YearWinnerTeamOpponentMatch dateCompetitionVideo @ 2014Llorenç Gómez 16 August 2014 2014 Euro Beach Soccer League Nominees; Winner2015Madjer 16 July 2015 2015 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Nominees; Winner2016Nick Perera 31 July 2016 2016 Mundialito Nominees; Winner2017Peyman Hosseini 27 April 2017 2017 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Nominees; Winner2018Eduard Suarez 7 September 2018 2018 Euro Beach Soccer League Nominees; Winner2019Rubén Batres 5 August 2019 2019 WBG qualifiers (CONCACAF) Nominees; Winner2021Nicolae Ignat 1 August 2021 2021 Euro Beach Soccer League Nominees; Winner2022Chiky Ardil 23 July 2022 2022 Mundialito Nominees; Winner2023 Adriele Rocha Higicontrol Melilla Málaga 15 June 2023 2023 Women's Euro Winners Cup Nominees; Winner2024Andrea Mirón 20 August 2024 2024 Women's Euro Beach Soccer League Nominees; Winner2025Glenn Hodel 19 July 2025 2025 Euro Beach Soccer League Nominees; Winner
Best event Decided by: BSWW panel of experts
Experts at BSWW decide which competition will receive the prize for best event of the year. On the awards night, the winner of the award is revealed. No preliminary shortlist is disclosed. YearEvent winnerLocationDates of event20142013 Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup Dubai, United Arab Emirates 19–23 November 201320152015 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Espinho, Portugal 9–19 July 201520162015 Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup Dubai, United Arab Emirates 3–7 November 201520172017 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Nassau, Bahamas 27 April – 7 May 201720182018 Euro Beach Soccer League – Stage 2 / 2018 Women's Euro Beach Soccer Cup Nazaré, Portugal 6–8 July 201820192019 European Games Minsk, Belarus 25–29 June 201920212021 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Moscow, Russia 19–29 August 202120222022 El Salvador Beach Soccer Cup San Luis La Herradura, El Salvador 14–18 April 202220232023 NEOM Beach Soccer Cup Neom, Saudi Arabia 25–28 October 202320242025 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup qualification (UEFA) Cádiz, Spain 4–13 October 202420252025 Euro Beach Soccer League – Stage 2 Batumi, Georgia 18–20 July 2025
Best women's player Decided by: Players and coaches
New award introduced in 2017.
Fellow national team captains and coaches vote for who they want to be crowned best women's player of the year. BSWW reveal a shortlist of the three players with the most votes prior to the ceremony. On the awards night, the winner of the award with the most votes of the three is revealed as the best women's player of the year. +Shortlists of three players with most votes ( Award winner ):YearPlayerTeam2017Sarah Kempson Grytsje Van den Berg Leticia Villar Astra (club)2018Marina Fedorova Molly Clark Adriele Rocha Grembach Łódź (club)2019Carolina González Adriele Rocha Sarah Kempson 2021Molly Clark Andrea Mirón Adriele Rocha 2022Adriele Rocha Andrea Mirón Bárbara Colodetti 2023Beach Soccer Stars: Best Women’s Player nominees announced. Beach Soccer Worldwide. 24 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.Adriele Rocha Andrea Mirón Adriana Manau 2024Adriele Rocha Andrea Mirón Adriana Manau 2025Andrea Mirón Bárbara Colodetti Adriana Manau
Best women's goalkeeper Decided by: Players and coaches
New award introduced in 2023.
Fellow national team captains and coaches vote for who they want to be crowned best women's goalkeeper of the year. BSWW reveal a shortlist of the three players with the most votes prior to the ceremony. On the awards night, the winner of the award with the most votes of the three is revealed as the best women's player of the year. +Shortlists of three players with most votes ( Award winner ):YearPlayerTeam2023Beach Soccer Stars: Best Women’s Goalkeeper nominees announced. Beach Soccer Worldwide. 23 January 2024. Retrieved 23 January 2024.Laura Gallego Ana Bê Ribeiro Anastasiia Terekh 2024Laura Gallego Lelê Lopes Anastasiia Terekh 2025Lelê Lopes Jamila Marreiros Anastasiia Terekh
Best women's five Decided by: Players and coaches
New award introduced in 2025.
Fellow national team captains and coaches vote for the five players that they believe, combined, form the best team of the year, similar to the FIFA World XI award in association football. On the awards night, the five winners of the award with the most votes are revealed as the Best Five.
+2025–YearPlayersTeamPosition2025Lelê Lopes Goalkeeper Andrea Mirón DefenderBárbara Colodetti DefenderAdriana Manau ForwardTaiane Costa Forward
Best referee Decided by: BSWW panel of experts
New award introduced in 2023.
Experts at BSWW decide which player will be crowned the best refereeing figure of the year. On the awards night, the winner of the award is revealed. No preliminary shortlist is disclosed. YearWinnerAssociationRefereeing role2023Michele Conti Italian Football Federation Instructor2024Sérgio Soares Portuguese Football Federation Referee 2025Łukasz Ostrowski Polish Football Association Referee
Best legend Decided by: BSWW panel of experts
New award introduced in 2019.