Men’s FIFA World Player of the Year

Ronaldo, the youngest recipient of FIFA World Player of the Year

Ronaldo, the youngest recipient of FIFA World Player of the Year

The FIFA World Player of the Year had been an award between 1991 and 2009, with both Ronaldo Nazario and Zinedine Zidane winning it three times, before it joined with the Ballon d’Or in 2010. The Ballon d’Or has been its own award since 1956, but between 2010 and 2015, it merged with FIFA’s ‘World Player of the Year’ award to form the FIFA Ballon d’Or. Messi and Ronaldo won all of the joint awards.

For 2016, FIFA and France Football parted ways, with the Ballon d’Or back to being its own independent award. FIFA, meanwhile, resurrected its previous award under a new name: The Best FIFA Men’s Player.

The FIFA World Player of the Year had been an award between 1991 and 2009, with both Ronaldo Nazario and Zinedine Zidane winning it three times, before it joined with the Ballon d’Or in 2010. The Ballon d’Or has been its own award since 1956, but between 2010 and 2015, it merged with FIFA’s ‘World Player of the Year’ award to form the FIFA Ballon d’Or. Messi and Ronaldo won all of the joint awards.

For 2016, FIFA and France Football parted ways, with the Ballon d’Or back to being its own independent award. FIFA, meanwhile, resurrected its previous award under a new name: The Best FIFA Men’s Player.

List of Men’s FIFA World Player of the Year award winners

Year Player Team
2009 Lionel Messi
FC Barcelona
2008 Cristiano Ronaldo
Manchester City
2007 Kaká
AC Milan
2006 Fabio Cannavaro
Real Madrid
,
Juventus Academy Miami Juventus -Pogba 08
2005 Ronaldinho Gaúcho
FC Barcelona
2004 Ronaldinho Gaúcho
FC Barcelona
2003 Zinédine Zidane
Real Madrid
2002 Ronaldo
Inter Milan
,
Real Madrid
2001 Luis Figo
Real Madrid
2000 Zinédine Zidane
Juventus Academy Miami Juventus -Pogba 08
1999 Rivaldo
FC Barcelona
1998 Zinédine Zidane
Juventus Academy Miami Juventus -Pogba 08
1997 Ronaldo
FC Barcelona
,
Inter Milan
1996 Ronaldo
PSV Eindhoven
,
FC Barcelona
1995 George Weah
Paris Saint-Germain
,
AC Milan
1994 Romário
FC Barcelona
1993 Roberto Baggio
Juventus Academy Miami Juventus -Pogba 08
1992 Marco van Basten
AC Milan
1991 Lothar Matthäus
Inter Milan

List of Men’s FIFA World Player of the Year award winners by nationality

Country Win(s) Year(s)
Brazil
Brazil
8 2007, 2005, 2004, 2002, 1999, 1997, 1996, 1994
France
France
3 2003, 2000, 1998
Italy
Italy
2 2006, 1993
Portugal
Portugal
2 2008, 2001
Argentina
Argentina
1 2009
Germany
Germany
1 1991
Liberia
Liberia
1 1995
Netherlands
Netherlands
1 1992

List of Men’s FIFA World Player of the Year award winners by club

Country Win(s) Year(s)
6 2009, 2005, 2004, 1999, 1997, 1994
3 2000, 1998, 1993
3 2006, 2003, 2001
2 2002, 1991
2 2007, 1992
1 2008
1 1995
1 1996