FIFA World Player of the Year

This article is about the current women's World Player of the Year award, until 2009 also presented to men. For the new men's World Player of the Year award, see FIFA Ballon d'Or.
Brazilians Ronaldo and Marta, the youngest recipients at age 20, won three and five awards respectively.

The FIFA World Player of the Year is an association football award presented annually by the sport's governing body, FIFA, since 1991. Originally an honour bestowed on the world's best male player, it was awarded to both sexes from 2001, and since 2010 has been presented exclusively to the best female player. Coaches and captains of international teams and media representatives select the player they deem to have performed the best in the previous calendar year.

During the men's era, Brazilian players won 8 out of 19 years, compared to three wins – the second most – for French players. In terms of individual players, Brazil again led with five, followed by Italy and Portugal with two each.[1][2] The youngest winner was Ronaldo, who won at 20 years old in 1996, and the oldest winner was Fabio Cannavaro, who won aged 33 in 2006.[3][4] Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane each won the award three times, while Ronaldo and Ronaldinho were the only players to win in successive years. Since 2010, the equivalent men's award is the FIFA Ballon d'Or.[5][6]

Eight female players – three Germans, three Americans, one Brazilian, and one Japanese – have won the award. Marta, the youngest recipient at age 20 in 2006, has won five successive awards, the most of any player. Birgit Prinz won three times in a row and Mia Hamm won twice in a row. The oldest winner is Nadine Angerer, who was 35 when she won in 2013; she is also the only goalkeeper of either sex to win.

Voting and selection process

The winners are chosen by the coaches and captains of national teams as well as by international media representatives invited by FIFA.[7] In a voting system based on positional voting, each voter is allotted three votes, worth five points, three points and one point, and the three finalists are ordered based on total number of points. Following criticism from some sections of the media over nominations in previous years, FIFA has since 2004 provided shortlists from which its voters can select their choices.[8]

List of male winners

Source[1]

Year First place Club Second place Club Third place Club
1991  Matthäus, LotharLothar Matthäus (GER) Italy Internazionale  Papin, Jean-PierreJean-Pierre Papin (FRA) France Marseille  Lineker, GaryGary Lineker (ENG) England Tottenham Hotspur
1992  Van Basten, MarcoMarco Van Basten (NED) Italy Milan  Stoichkov, HristoHristo Stoichkov (BUL) Spain Barcelona  Haßler, ThomasThomas Haßler (GER) Italy Roma
1993  Baggio, RobertoRoberto Baggio (ITA) Italy Juventus  Romário (BRA) Spain Barcelona  Bergkamp, DennisDennis Bergkamp (NED) Italy Internazionale
1994  Romário (BRA) Spain Barcelona  Stoichkov, HristoHristo Stoichkov (BUL) Spain Barcelona  Baggio, RobertoRoberto Baggio (ITA) Italy Juventus
1995  Weah, GeorgeGeorge Weah (LBR) Italy Milan  Maldini, PaoloPaolo Maldini (ITA) Italy Milan  Klinsmann, JürgenJürgen Klinsmann (GER) Germany Bayern Munich
1996  Ronaldo (BRA) Spain Barcelona  Weah, GeorgeGeorge Weah (LBR) Italy Milan  Shearer, AlanAlan Shearer (ENG) England Newcastle United
1997  Ronaldo (BRA) Italy Inter Milan  Carlos, RobertoRoberto Carlos (BRA) Spain Real Madrid
 Bergkamp, DennisDennis Bergkamp (NED)

 Zidane, ZinedineZinedine Zidane (FRA)

1998  Zidane, ZinedineZinedine Zidane (FRA) Italy Juventus  Ronaldo (BRA) Italy Inter Milan  Šuker, DavorDavor Šuker (CRO) Spain Real Madrid
1999  Rivaldo (BRA) Spain Barcelona  Beckham, DavidDavid Beckham (ENG) England Manchester United  Batistuta, GabrielGabriel Batistuta (ARG) Italy Fiorentina
2000  Zidane, ZinedineZinedine Zidane (FRA) Italy Juventus  Figo, LuísLuís Figo (POR) Spain Real Madrid  Rivaldo (BRA) Spain FC Barcelona
2001  Figo, LuísLuís Figo (POR) Spain Real Madrid  Beckham, DavidDavid Beckham (ENG) England Manchester United  Raúl (ESP) Spain Real Madrid
2002  Ronaldo (BRA) Spain Real Madrid  Kahn, OliverOliver Kahn (GER) Germany Bayern Munich  Zidane, ZinedineZinedine Zidane (FRA) Spain Real Madrid
2003  Zidane, ZinedineZinedine Zidane (FRA) Spain Real Madrid  Henry, ThierryThierry Henry (FRA) England Arsenal  Ronaldo (BRA) Spain Real Madrid
2004  Ronaldinho (BRA) Spain Barcelona  Henry, ThierryThierry Henry (FRA) England Arsenal  Shevchenko, AndriyAndriy Shevchenko (UKR) Italy Milan
2005  Ronaldinho (BRA) Spain Barcelona  Lampard, FrankFrank Lampard (ENG) England Chelsea  Eto'o, SamuelSamuel Eto'o (CMR) Spain Barcelona
2006  Cannavaro, FabioFabio Cannavaro (ITA) Spain Real Madrid  Zidane, ZinedineZinedine Zidane (FRA) Spain Real Madrid  Ronaldinho (BRA) Spain Barcelona
2007  Kaká (BRA) Italy Milan  Messi, LionelLionel Messi (ARG) Spain Barcelona  Ronaldo, CristianoCristiano Ronaldo (POR) England Manchester United
2008  Ronaldo, CristianoCristiano Ronaldo (POR) England Manchester United  Messi, LionelLionel Messi (ARG) Spain Barcelona  Torres, FernandoFernando Torres (ESP) England Liverpool
2009  Messi, LionelLionel Messi (ARG) Spain Barcelona  Ronaldo, CristianoCristiano Ronaldo (POR) England Manchester United  Xavi (ESP) Spain Barcelona
Since 2010, the world's best player has been awarded the FIFA Ballon d'Or

Wins by player

# Player First place Second place Third place
1 France Zinedine Zidane 3 1 2
2 Brazil Ronaldo 3 1 1
3 Brazil Ronaldinho 2 0 1
4 Argentina Lionel Messi 1 2 0
5 Portugal Cristiano Ronaldo 1 1 1
6 Brazil Romário 1 1 0
Liberia George Weah 1 1 0
Portugal Luís Figo 1 1 0
9 Italy Roberto Baggio 1 0 1
Brazil Rivaldo 1 0 1
11 Germany Lothar Matthäus 1 0 0
Netherlands Marco van Basten 1 0 0
Italy Fabio Cannavaro 1 0 0
Brazil Kaká 1 0 0
15 Bulgaria Hristo Stoichkov 0 2 0
England David Beckham 0 2 0
France Thierry Henry 0 2 0
18 France Jean-Pierre Papin 0 1 0
Italy Paolo Maldini 0 1 0
Brazil Roberto Carlos 0 1 0
Germany Oliver Kahn 0 1 0
England Frank Lampard 0 1 0
23 Netherlands Dennis Bergkamp 0 0 2
24 England Gary Lineker 0 0 1
Germany Thomas Häßler 0 0 1
Germany Jürgen Klinsmann 0 0 1
England Alan Shearer 0 0 1
Croatia Davor Šuker 0 0 1
Argentina Gabriel Batistuta 0 0 1
Spain Raúl 0 0 1
Ukraine Andriy Shevchenko 0 0 1
Cameroon Samuel Eto'o 0 0 1
Spain Fernando Torres 0 0 1
Spain Xavi 0 0 1

Wins by country

Table of winners categorised by the player's nationality.

# Country First place Second place Third place
1  Brazil 8 (1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007) 3 (1993, 1997, 1998) 3 (2000, 2003, 2006)
2  France 3 (1998, 2000, 2003) 4 (1991, 2003, 2004, 2006) 2 (1997*, 2002)
3  Portugal 2 (2001, 2008) 2 (2000, 2009) 1 (2007)
4  Italy 2 (1993, 2006) 1 (1995) 1 (1994)
5  Argentina 1 (2009) 2 (2007, 2008) 1 (1999)
6  Germany 1 (1991) 1 (2002) 2 (1992, 1995)
7  Liberia 1 (1995) 1 (1996) 0
8  Netherlands 1 (1992) 0 2 (1993, 1997*)
9  England 0 3 (1999, 2001, 2005) 2 (1991, 1996)
10  Bulgaria 0 2 (1992, 1994) 0
11  Spain 0 0 3 (2001, 2008, 2009)
12  Ukraine 0 0 1 (2004)
 Cameroon 0 0 1 (2005)
 Croatia 0 0 1 (1998)

* There was a tie for that place

Wins by club

# Club First place Second place Third place
1 Spain Barcelona 7 (1994, 1996*, 1997**, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2009) 6 (1992, 1993*, 1994, 2000**, 2007, 2008) 4 (2000, 2005, 2006, 2009)
2 Spain Real Madrid 4 (2001, 2002*, 2003, 2006*) 4 (1997, 2000*, 2006***, 2009*) 3 (1998, 2001, 2003)
3 Italy Juventus 4 (1993, 1998, 2000, 2006**) 0 2 (1994, 1997)
4 Italy Milan 3 (1992, 1995*, 2007) 2 (1995, 1996) 1 (2004)
5 Italy Internazionale 3 (1991, 1997*, 2002**) 1 (1998) 1 (1993*)
6 England Manchester United 1 (2008) 3 (1999, 2001, 2009**) 1 (2007)
7 Netherlands PSV Eindhoven 1 (1996**) 1 (1993**) 0
8 France Paris Saint-Germain 1 (1995**) 0 0
9 England Arsenal 0 2 (2003, 2004) 1 (1997)
10 Germany Bayern Munich 0 1 (2002) 1 (1995*)
11 France Marseille 0 1 (1991) 0
England Chelsea 0 1 (2005) 0
13 England Tottenham Hotspur 0 0 2 (1991, 1995**)
14 Italy Roma 0 0 1 (1992)
Netherlands Ajax 0 0 1 (1993**)
England Blackburn Rovers 0 0 1 (1996**)
England Newcastle United 0 0 1 (1996*)
Italy Fiorentina 0 0 1 (1999)
England Liverpool 0 0 1 (2008)

*Player was a member of the club for the second half of the calendar year
**Player was a member of the club for the first half of the calendar year
***Player retired halfway through the calendar year

List of female winners

Source[1]

Year First place Club Second place Club Third place Club
2001  Mia Hamm (USA) United States Washington Freedom  Sun Wen (CHN) United States Atlanta Beat  Tiffeny Milbrett (USA) United States New York Power
2002  Mia Hamm (USA) United States Washington Freedom  Birgit Prinz (GER) Germany 1. FFC Frankfurt  Sun Wen (CHN) United States Atlanta Beat
2003  Birgit Prinz (GER) Germany 1. FFC Frankfurt  Mia Hamm (USA) United States Washington Freedom  Hanna Ljungberg (SWE) Sweden Umeå IK
2004  Birgit Prinz (GER) Germany 1. FFC Frankfurt  Mia Hamm (USA) United States Washington Freedom  Marta (BRA) Sweden Umeå IK
2005  Birgit Prinz (GER) Germany 1. FFC Frankfurt  Marta (BRA) Sweden Umeå IK  Shannon Boxx (USA) Unattached
2006  Marta (BRA) Sweden Umeå IK  Kristine Lilly (USA) Sweden KIF Örebro DFF  Renate Lingor (GER) Germany 1. FFC Frankfurt
2007  Marta (BRA) Sweden Umeå IK  Birgit Prinz (GER) Germany 1. FFC Frankfurt  Cristiane (BRA) Germany VfL Wolfsburg
2008  Marta (BRA) Sweden Umeå IK  Birgit Prinz (GER) Germany 1. FFC Frankfurt  Cristiane (BRA) Brazil Corinthians
2009  Marta (BRA) Brazil Santos  Birgit Prinz (GER) Germany 1. FFC Frankfurt  Kelly Smith (ENG) United States Boston Breakers
2010  Marta (BRA) Brazil Santos  Birgit Prinz (GER) Germany 1. FFC Frankfurt  Fatmire Bajramaj (GER) Germany 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam
2011  Homare Sawa (JPN) Japan INAC Kobe Leonessa  Marta (BRA) United States Western New York Flash  Abby Wambach (USA) United States MagicJack
2012  Abby Wambach (USA) Unattached  Marta (BRA) Sweden Tyresö FF  Alex Morgan (USA) United States Seattle Sounders Women
2013  Nadine Angerer (GER) Australia Brisbane Roar  Abby Wambach (USA) United States Western New York Flash  Marta (BRA) Sweden Tyresö FF
2014  Nadine Keßler (GER) Germany VfL Wolfsburg  Marta (BRA) Sweden FC Rosengård  Abby Wambach (USA) United States Western New York Flash
2015  Carli Lloyd (USA) United States Houston Dash  Célia Šašić (GER) Germany 1. FFC Frankfurt  Aya Miyama (JPN) Japan Okayama Yunogo Belle

Wins by player

# Player First place Second place Third place
1 Brazil Marta 5 4 2
2 Germany Birgit Prinz 3 5 0
3 United States Mia Hamm 2 2 0
4 United States Abby Wambach 1 1 2
5 Japan Homare Sawa 1 0 0
Germany Nadine Angerer 1 0 0
Germany Nadine Keßler 1 0 0
United States Carli Lloyd 1 0 0
9 China Sun Wen 0 1 1
10 United States Kristine Lilly 0 1 0
Germany Célia Šašić 0 1 0
12 Brazil Cristiane 0 0 2
13
United States Tiffeny Milbrett 0 0 1
Sweden Hanna Ljungberg 0 0 1
United States Shannon Boxx 0 0 1
Germany Renate Lingor 0 0 1
England Kelly Smith 0 0 1
Germany Fatmire Bajramaj 0 0 1
United States Alex Morgan 0 0 1
Japan Aya Miyama 0 0 1

Wins by country

Table of winners categorised by the player's nationality.

# Country First place Second place Third place
1  Germany 5 (2003, 2004, 2005, 2013, 2014) 6 (2002, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015) 2 (2006, 2010)
2  Brazil 5 (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010) 4 (2005, 2011, 2012, 2014) 4 (2004, 2007, 2008, 2013)
3  United States 4 (2001, 2002, 2012, 2015) 4 (2003, 2004, 2006, 2013) 5 (2001, (2005, 2011, 2012, 2014)
4  Japan 1 (2011) 0 1 (2015)
5  China PR 0 1 (2001) 1 (2002)
6  Sweden 0 0 1 (2003)
 England 0 0 1 (2009)

Wins by club

# Club First place Second place Third place
1 Germany 1. FFC Frankfurt 4 (2003, 2004, 2005, 2013**) 6 (2002, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015***) 1 (2006)
2 Sweden Umeå IK 3 (2006, 2007, 2008) 1 (2005) 2 (2003, 2004)
3 United States Washington Freedom 2 (2001, 2002) 2 (2003, 2004) 0
4 Brazil Santos 2 (2009*, 2010*) 0 0
5 Germany VfL Wolfsburg 1 (2014) 0 1 (2007)
6 United States Los Angeles Sol 1 (2009**) 0 0
United States FC Gold Pride 1 (2010**) 0 0
Japan INAC Kobe Leonessa 1 (2011) 0 0
Australia Brisbane Roar 1 (2013*) 0 0
United States Houston Dash 1 (2015) 0 0
11 United States Western New York Flash 0 2 (2011, 2013) 1 (2014)
Sweden Tyresö FF 0 2 (2012, 2014**) 1 (2013)
13 United States Atlanta Beat 0 1 (2001) 1 (2002)
14 Sweden KIF Örebro DFF 0 1 (2006) 0
Sweden FC Rosengård 0 1 (2014*) 0
16 United States New York Power 0 0 1 (2001)
Sweden Linköping 0 0 1 (2008**)
Brazil Corinthians 0 0 1 (2008*)
United States Boston Breakers 0 0 1 (2009)
Germany Turbine Potsdam 0 0 1 (2010)
United States MagicJack 0 0 1 (2011)
United States Seattle Sounders Women 0 0 1 (2012)
Japan Okayama Yunogo Belle 0 0 1 (2015)
Unattached 1 (2012) 0 1 (2005)

*Player was a member of the club for the second half of the calendar year
**Player was a member of the club for the first half of the calendar year
***Player retired halfway through the calendar year

See also

Notes and references

  1. 1 2 3 "FACTSheet FIFA awards" (PDF). FIFA. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  2. "FIFA Awards". RSSSF.com. Retrieved 1 April 2013
  3. "Brazil legend Ronaldo retires from football". BBC. Retrieved 17 November 2013
  4. "Cannavaro discusses highs and lows". Football Federation Australia. Retrieved 18 November 2013
  5. "The FIFA Ballon d'Or is born". FIFA.com. Retrieved 12 January 2016
  6. "FIFA Ballon d'Or World Player of the Year: Award History". FIFA.com. Retrieved 12 January 2016
  7. "Messi, Lloyd, Luis Enrique and Ellis triumph at FIFA Ballon d'Or 2015". FIFA. 11 January 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
  8. FIFA.com - Thirty-five stars make Zurich shortlist
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