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Vini Jr. and Lamine Yamal shine in March LALIGA AWARDS
Mumbai: LALIGA, as part of its agreement with Globe Soccer, hands out the “LALIGA AWARDS, The Pride of our football” each month recognising top performers in five categories: best goal, best player, best coach, best play and best U23 player.
To choose these awards, the opinion of the expert committee is added to that of the fans, who can choose each month’s winners on the competition’s website.
This month’s winners are:
Best Player: Vini Jr has been voted the LALIGA EA SPORTS MVP for March, a distinction awarded by LALIGA together with EA. Real Madrid’s Brazilian striker has excelled over the past month with five goals in his team’s three LALIGA EA SPORTS matches in March.
Vini Jr’s five goals helped Real Madrid to seven points from a possible nine during March and, the capital city side maintained an eight-point lead over second-placed FC Barcelona at the top of the standings.
Best Goal: Lamine Yamal’s goal against RCD Mallorca was voted Best Goal of LALIGA EA SPORTS in March, a distinction awarded by LALIGA together with GolBall.
In the 73rd minute of the game and with the score at 0-0, Yamal received a pass from Lewandowski, cut inside and with a powerful left-footed shot put the ball straight into the top corner to score a truly stunning goal – the eventual match winner – and sparked madness at the Lluís Companys.
Best Coach: Marcelino García Toral has been named LALIGA EA SPORTS Best Coach in March, an award presented by LALIGA in conjunction with Microsoft. The Villarreal CF coach oversaw a sensational month of March in which his side took maximum points.
Los Groguets won all their games across the month, starting with a 5-1 home win over Granada CF. They came from behind to beat Real Betis 3-2 at the Benito Villamarín and ended the month with a 1-0 win over Valencia CF in front of their home fans in the Valencian derby.
Best Under-23 Player: Pau Cubarsí has been named LALIGA EA SPORTS Best Under-23 Player of the Month for March, an award presented by LALIGA together with Sorare. The young FC Barcelona player has become a permanent fixture in the Blaugrana’s defensive line at just 17 years of age.
Cubarsí’s regularity and defensive solidity, along with his more than proven ability to play out from the back, make the youngster one of the great revelations of the season and his performances are real vindication for coach Xavi Hernández’s faith in the club’s conveyer belt of young talent.
Best Play: Real Sociedad’s Mikel Oyarzabal and Mikel Merino receive the LALIGA EA SPORTS Best Play of March award, a distinction granted by LALIGA together with VisitSaudi.
Real Sociedad vs Cadiz CF at the Reale Arena. Take Kubo picked up the ball to take a corner as the visiting defence was positioned in the box. Before that could happen, the Japanese saw Oyarzabal completely unmarked at the near post, on the edge of the six-yard box and quickly placed a low ball to Oyarzabal, who, with his back to him, set up Merino seamlessly. The midfielder took advantage of his team-mate’s brilliant back-heeled assist to strike with his right foot and catch Ledesma completely off his line, scoring the first goal of the match which would end 2-0.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
