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FIFA World Player of the Year (Men)

Here are the top FIFA World Player of the Year award winners since 1991. This award is given annually to the player who is thought to be the best in the world. From 2010 until 2015, this award was merged with the Ballon d'Or award.

Since 2004 the voting process is based on a shortlist of 35 players produced by FIFA, from which team captains, national team managers and select journalists vote for the winner.

From 2010 until 2015, the FIFA player of the year award was merged with the Ballon d'Or and called the FIFA Ballon d'Or. Compare this list to the player of the year according to World Soccer magazine, and also the female player of the year.

Including the FIFA Ballon d'Or (years 2010-2015), Lionel Messi has won the award six times, with Cristiano Ronaldo having won it five times.

Statue of Cristiano Ronaldo in the harbour of his hometown Funchal, Madeira

The 2016 and 2017 winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year winner was Cristiano Ronaldo, who also won the Ballon d'Or for the same periods. In 2018 he failed to win the hat-trick, polling second behind Croatian Luka Modrić.

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Related Pages

• See also the list of the female player of the year.
• List of winners of the Ballon d'Or award (from 1956 to 2009)
• More Soccer Lists
• More sporting lists

Got any comments, suggestions or corrections? Please let us know.

Old Comments

Commenting is closed on this page, though you can read some previous comments below which may answer some of your questions.

• David W. Grualee (2014)
  CR7 IS THE WORLD BEST PLAYER FOR THIS AWARD IN REAL LIFE,I ALSO LOVE MESSI BUT CR7 HAS DONE MORE THEN MESSI
• Julio Cee David W. Grualee (2020)
  CR7 IS NOT THE BEST PLAYER IN THE WORLD. SORRY YOU ARE DEAD WRONG. EVEN CR7 IS A MESSI FAN. AFTER TODAY's GOAL TO ATLETICO MADRID IS IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANYONE NOT TO VOTE FOR MESSI. MESSI GETS IT DONE TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
• Lil billy Julio Cee (2020)
  I'd like to see Messi play in a different country on a different team and see if he performs as he does on Barcelona
• Fuad Oluwaniyi David W. Grualee (2019)
  What has he done, messi collected it 4 times consecutively. Soh mi. O je wa ke ball.
• Yush (2013)
  This year it is going to be Ibrahimovich or Messi. Not Ronaldo, too much ego.
• NaughtyProf Yush (2013)
  DEAD WRONG-LOL!!!
• Kashlord NaughtyProf (2014)
  he's correct its gonna be either ibrahimovic or messi
• RicardoSousa kashlord (2014)
  Ronaldo won in the year you made that comment ( 2014 ) and the year i made this comment (2015). So haha
• Fraser // Turmoil RicardoSousa (2015)
  Are you dumb? The 2015 Ballon d'Or was yesterday....
• Daniel Fraser // Turmoil (2015)
  Haha you are the one who's dumb, all the comments were written 1 or 2 years ago, silly.
• Ahmad fared Yush (2016)
  Hhhhhhhhhh are you kidding man..
  Ronaldo is the best ..
  That sit
• Unkown Yush (2016)
  Ronaldo has scored 44 goals this season and is the leading scorer in all competitions I highly doubt that.
• Bob Robinson Unkown (2017)
  Yeah Ronaldo isn't any good
• Common sense Yush (2014)
  Ego is not part of the criteria it is for the best PLAYER OF THE YEAR NOT PERSONALITY, FFS
• Saif ur rehman (2014)
  why they don't have separate awards for mid fielder defender goal keeper strikers why not they all provided with the proper stage to show their potential in there field and skill according to their category they should start something new fifa you should do something to motivate the others players and make the football more interesting when the rest of the players want to win there fifa player award they do great goal keeping defending mid fielding they will make football more faster then ever and enjoyable
• That One Guy saif ur rehman (2015)
  You don't really need a separate section for the different positions in the best players award, Manuel Neuer, the german goalkeeper, came close to winning the ballon d'Or just recently, if the player is good enough, Fifa will recognize it and give them the award.
• Kalleruo.tarzel saif ur rehman (2014)
  You where for sure a defender when you played football to have that statement...
  the hardest thing to do on a footballfield is to score a goal,and Strikers are valued more because of their abilities, thats why they are the most expensive players
• BJ Kalleruo.tarzel (2015)
  No, the hardest thing to do is stop goals.
• That One Guy Kalleruo.tarzel (2015)
  You are wrong, the hardest thing to do is to stop a shot. Keepers are under appreciated. they can stop soccer balls hurtling toward them through the air, they also act as the general of the team, organizing and commanding the players. without them or the defenders and midfielders, the strikers would even be able to get the ball to shoot. strikers might do some good stuff when they score, but 3/4 the time they miss and when they dont have the ball, they just walk around.
• James Thomas That One Guy (2015)
  That's not correct - every person on earth specializes in some skill in a specific area or field & each person's pay is Directly proportional to the scarcity of their specialization... For example the reason Heart surgeons earn more than janitors is b/c heart surgeon is an extremely scarce skill set... The same rules apply to professional sports. Goaltenders are very important - obviously, but the reason the Very top of the pay scale is populated by offensive players is b/c their skill set is SO rare there are only a handful at the level of a Messi & a Ronaldo so they make the most $$$ Goaltenders are rare in the population but inside the game their skill set is no where near as rare as a top striker or mid fielder....
• Shared (2013)
  Ronaldo is the greatest out of all them the Brazilian of course
• Kashlord Shared (2014)
  you got it all wrong
• Twijukye (2013)
  messi nooo they just cheat 4 him
• Kian (2014)
  My favorite player is Messi and I like ibrahamovic but I gotta say Christiano Ranaldo even though I hate him. Ugh!
• Freddy dymik lingomo (2014)
  why i don't see ibrahimovic and samy etoo
• Shane Warne (2013)
  I think Ibrahimovic deserves it this year.
• Ngala Maimo (2013)
  this year we have ibrahimovic
• Sabbir Ahmed Abir (2013)
  Messi is the best of all football players.
• Skapie (2013)
  King Messi the record breaker
• Adino skapie (2015)
  point of correction pele is the king
• Fahad Sam (2014)
  ths year again cr7 .. (ballon d'or )
• Tahseen (2013)
  messi is the best :*
• Joseph Azar (2016)
  There is a mistake Andrei Shevchenko was the winner in 2004
• Kashlord (2014)
  messi is the best of all time and will always be the best even after he retires
• Opli (2013)
  this is rediculous
• Messy will have 10 inthe end of his career
• Adino opli (2015)
  Let messi prove it self like ronaldo as a big play any were goes he can get BALLON D'OR /england to spain
• Alex oppong (2013)
  i like messi
• Paloma alex oppong (2013)
  Messi will still Win, because he is the best
• Julio Cee (2020)
  Messi is the best player in history. He will continue to break records and amaze fans.
• MESSI IS THE BEST PLAYER IN HISTORY. PERIOD.
• Jamiu Abolore (2019)
  LM10 IS THE WORLD BEST PLAYER EVER HAVE SEEN IN MY LIFE, I ALSO LOVE CR7 BUT MESSI HAS DONE MORE THAN RONALDO
• FOR MORE FOOTBALL NEWS KINDLY VISIT THIS SITE
  <https: www.remisport.com="">
• Ashutosh Ople (2019)
  Messi just won it 6th time, now leads Cristiano Ronaldo.. LOL Till the last moment of announcement i thought van dijk would win it..
• Invisible_bot (2018)
  soccer so white and so fixed. last 10 best players consist of 2 white players! rigged
• Noe Avila (2017)
  MESSI ALL THE YEARS
• Md Anas (2017)
  FIFA is just cheating!!Ronaldo did a lot for his teams i.e. real madrid and portugal and got the ballon d'or for it.But this year he didnt do anything good but yet he got the FIFA best player award!!Previous year messi did some good things for his teams but not as good as Ronaldo so he didnt win the ballon d'or but this year he is playing damn good !! His hattrick against ecuador a few days back led argentina to qualify for the Russian world cup next year.And he has scored most goals this season but yet he didnt get the Fifa best player award!!.So,there is no doubt that stupid FIFA is just cheating the LEO fans!!
• Ivor Marillier (2017)
  Wow. Messi should've won way more than he did am i right?
• Евгений Нескажу (2016)
  2004 is not Ronaldinho. Shevchenko has won Golden Balloon in 2004.
• Rod (2016)
  Do you know you must actually win something to be consider a contender, Barcelona & Man utd will win nothing , Ronaldo again!
• David Siame Katambalile (2016)
  The method used to pick world footballer is biased towards certain players. Small wonder we have no goalkeeper's as world best the selection process seems to exclude them. Using this method we will never have a goalkeeper win world player. I am urging FIFA to relook the criteria the use we can't have two players as the best for a decade. Categories the awards than have one. Maybe then pick from the categories the best of all.
• Peter P Ramofolo (2016)
  CR7 will certainly get his forth award
• Ajinkya Khalwadekar (2016)
  this list is terrible!!! lot of errors!!!
• Unkown (2016)
  ? 2005 winner was Pavel Nedvěd
• Velocity Unkown (2016)
  No 2005 was Ronaldinho
• Inthasone Khounborine (2016)
  as you can see previous winners besides messi and cr7 are winning because they perform in big tournament either or their country winning big tournament. so since Portugal won the 2016 Euro tournament i believe CR7 will win FIFA football player of the year.....
• Marius (2016)
  In 2003, Paul Nedved won Ballon D'or.
• Velocity Marius (2016)
  Yes Ballon D'or was different from fifa player of the year until it emerged in 2010. now it has been separated. lots of players won Ballon d'or but didn't win the fifa player of the year awards
• Sd (2016)
  CR is The best Player
• Pablo (2016)
  still CR7 for real
• Rich Incognito (2016)
  Zidane? it should be Nedved for 2003
• Amrik (2016)
  messi or suarez or neymar will win
• James Soria (2015)
  I cant believe maradonna never won the ballon d' or
• James Soria (2015)
  Luis suarez should win this year he has most goals and most participations
  in goals and has a lot of success in world cups hes good.
• Sd James Soria (2016)
  Uruguay our from Copa No way for Luis suarez only CR
• Darragh (2015)
  Did Michael Owen not win the ballon d'or in 2001 not luis Figo
• Mark (2015)
  1994 winner is wrong. It was Hristo Stoichkov who won that year.
• Kamor (2015)
  u are all wrong...the best ever is RONALDINHO✌
• Miro (2015)
  1994 - Stoichkov
• Rob Admin Miro (2015)
  Yes, Stoichkov won the Ballon d'Or European Footballer of the Year. That is a different award http://www.topendsports.com...
• Aru10 (2015)
  nedved won in 2003, not zidane ..
• Ainebye Benjamin (2015)
  Its C. Ronaldo
• Tilak (2015)
  you have listed Zinedine Zidane 3 times (1998,2000,2003) whereas zizou received Ballon d'Or only once in 1998...
• Same goes for Ronaldinho he won Ballon d'Or in year 2005 and you have listed 2004 and 2005...
• Although they are the legendary players but you cannot mess up with the Ballon d'Or title..
• Rob Admin Tilak (2015)
  Many visitors are getting confused as this award is often confused with the now defunct Ballon d'Or (European Footballer of the year) which was awarded from 1956 until 2009, which was merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year to create the FIFA Ballon d'Or (this list).
• Tapiwa (2015)
  this list is wrong. Ronaldinho only won it in 05 shevshenko won it in 04, owen won it in 2001
• Velocity tapiwa (2016)
  Shevshenko never won the fifa world player of the year. he only won the ballon d'or which was a different award until it merged with fifa best player of the year in 2010
• Lcb (2015)
  It's a shame 1990 not there. ..gazza name would be there. ....
• Nishan Nishan (2015)
  neymar or messi
• Patkata (2015)
  1994 is Hristo Stoitchkov, not Romario
• Rob Admin Patkata (2015)
  Stoitchkov won the Ballon d'Or in 1994, not this award. See http://www.topendsports.com...
• Liu (2015)
  2004 - Shevchenko not Ronaldinho
• Tapiwa Liu (2015)
  was wondering if i was the only one who noticed
• Rob Admin Liu (2015)
  Shevchenko won the Ballon d'Or in 2004, not this award. See http://www.topendsports.com...
• Daniel Abraham (2015)
  Messi is the KING in football.this yr best player gos to MESSI ,if messi win this yr ,he is the 5 star best player of the yr.JAH BLESS U MESSI AND TO THOES WHO SUPPORT MESSI
• Andrew (2015)
  Ronaldo again
• Yajan (2015)
  Cristiano Ronaldo the best player in planet
• Jadhaan whittaker (2015)
  This year messi will win his fifth Ballon'Or 2015
• Andriy Shevchenko (2015)
  where is SHEVA? 2004
• Rob Admin Andriy Shevchenko (2015)
  Andriy Shevchenko won the 2004 Ballon d'Or, which was just for European players at the time. It is different from the FIFA list above, which combined with the Ballon d'Or in 2010. See the Ballon d'Or list http://www.topendsports.com...
• Velocity Rob (2016)
  No it was not only for euopean players in 2004. check your facts mate
• Rob Admin Velocity (2016)
  From 1995 to 2007, the Ballon d'Or (not the FIFA award list here) was only for players at European clubs. They did not have to be born in Europe, just had to be playing there.
• Vegis (2015)
  in 2001 michael owen was the winner
• Rob Admin vegis (2015)
  Michael Owen won the World Soccer Player of the Year in 2001, which is a different award.
  http://www.topendsports.com...
• Adino (2015)
  c-ronaldo has 10 goals & 10 goals messi in champions legue why ronaldo exceed messi in la liga goals ,SO RONALDO STILL HAS THE NEXT WORLD BEST
• Chahat Sharma (2015)
  Messi god of fifa . Top scorer in uefa all over the time top scorer in this year again .
  4 Ballon D'Or .
  la liga champion
  copa del rey champion
  one left uefa champion
• Mark music (2015)
  In one word just Harry Kane
• S Kgomo (2015)
  Paul Pogba in the cooking... Watch the space. But so far, KING LIONEL MESSI.
• Okyere Boateng (2015)
  Zinedine Zidane is my all time best player
• Bernard Koffi (2014)
  Messi is the Greatest but Ronaldo will win the Award Again
• Wrong (2014)
  2001 was Michael Owen..... you got it wrong very wrong
• Rob Admin wrong (2014)
  The list is for the FIFA World Player of the Year, which was won by Luís Figo in 2001. Michael Owen won the Bllon d'Or in 2001. The two awards were merged in 2010.
• Emmanuel Sefoley (2014)
  no matter what happen Messi is going to emerge as FIFA player of the year..
• Spotlobster (2014)
  verify yo data, ain't correct
• Rob Admin Spotlobster (2014)
  what's incorrect?
• That One Guy Rob (2015)
  The list is for the two awards combined, read the top.
• VINOD (2014)
  this year will be the argentina man messi 4 ever.!!!!!!cr7 booo
• Omoda James (2013)
  this year will be for Ribery if he make France qualify for world cup.
• Ricky (2013)
  This is year goes to Razvan Cocis from Romania !
• Nazri Buang (2013)
  Awesome Gain City. Thanks for the list.
• Tuffour (2013)
  Messi no size ego take
  the world best again
• Labeeb tuffour (2014)
  zidane zidane zidane
• Dani Flores (2015)
  There no doubt that messi will win the ballon de oro because he won barcelona 3 titles in 2015.
• Johann Mathews George Dani Flores (2015)
  Messi is better than Ronaldo because Messi won the Ballon d'or 4 times in a row.
• Swagg Johann Mathews George (2016)
  messi is the best in the way e play show you is not a griding man and look at the world cup he went to final and he is the best performer in the last world cup and come to cup america is also the best perfomer ther is no body to suport him that is why he wanna get retired from the country side in my own look . fifa world cup and euro cup and cup america messi perform more than ronaldo then in my own look messi deserve the next ballon d `or