List of FIFA World Best Player from 1990 Till Date

List of FIFA World Best Player from 1990 Till Date

Every four years, the world’s best soccer players convene to compete for the FIFA World Cup. And every year since 1990, FIFA has awarded the title of best player in the world to one of these exceptional athletes.

In this blog post, we will take a look at the list of FIFA World Best Players from 1990 until today. We will explore their stories and what made them stand out among the rest. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this trip down memory lane of some of the greatest soccer players in history.

1990: Lothar Matthaus

Lothar Matthaus is a German football legend. He is the most capped player in the history of the German national team, having played 150 times for his country. Matthaus is also a member of FIFA’s World Cup All-Time Team. He was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1990, and was inducted into the FIFA Hall of Fame in 2000.

1991: Romário

Romário de Souza Faria, commonly known as Romário, is a Brazilian politician, journalist and former professional footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. A prolific striker, Romário scored an impressive 1,002 goals in his career, including 763 for club sides and 55 for Brazil. He was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1994 and is one of only two players to be named European Footballer of the Year after playing outside Europe.

After starting his career with local side Vasco da Gama, Romário moved to PSV Eindhoven in Holland where he enjoyed considerable success, winning the Eredivisie title three times and the UEFA Cup once. He then had stints with Barcelona and Flamengo before returning to Brazil with Vasco da Gama in 2000. He retired from football in 2008 but made a brief comeback with American side Miami FC in 2009.

Since retiring from playing, Romário has been active in politics and was elected to the Brazilian senate in 2014. He has also worked as a television pundit and analyst.

1992: Marco van Basten

Marco van Basten was a Dutch footballer who played for Ajax and Milan, as well as the Netherlands national team. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.

Van Basten started his career with Ajax in 1981. He won the European Cup three times with Ajax, as well as the domestic Eredivisie title and Dutch Cup. In 1987, he moved to Milan for a world record fee of $13 million. With Milan, he won four Serie A titles and two European Cups, including a famous victory in the 1989 final against Steaua Bucharest in which he scored one of the greatest goals of all time.

Van Basten also had a successful international career with the Netherlands. He was part of the Dutch team that reached the semi-finals of the 1988 European Championship and won Euro 1988. He also played at the 1990 World Cup, where he was named player of the tournament despite not scoring in the final itself as the Netherlands lost to West Germany on penalties.

In total, Van Basten won three UEFA Player of the Year awards (1988, 1989, 1992), three Ballon d’Or awards (1988, 1989, 1992) and was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1992. He was inducted into both the FIFA World Cup All-Time Team and UEFA’s Greatest XI.

1993: Hristo Stoichkov

Hristo Stoichkov is a retired Bulgarian footballer who is widely considered as one of the best players of his generation. He was a member of the Bulgaria national team that finished fourth at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, and he also won the Golden Boot as the tournament’s top scorer.

After starting his career in his homeland with CSKA Sofia, Stoichkov moved to Barcelona in 1990 where he enjoyed great success, winning four La Liga titles and the European Cup in 1992. He subsequently had spells with Parma, Al-Nassr and Chicago Fire before returning to CSKA Sofia in 2003. He announced his retirement from football in 2007.

1994: Diego Maradona

Diego Maradona is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. He was born on October 30, 1960, in Lanús, Buenos Aires Province, and began his career with Argentinos Juniors. He later moved to Boca Juniors, before transferring to European club Barcelona in 1982.

Maradona helped Argentina win the 1986 FIFA World Cup, scoring the famous “Hand of God” goal in the quarter-finals against England. He also won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player. After a brief spell with Napoli, he returned to Argentina to play for Newell’s Old Boys and then finished his career with Boca Juniors.

Maradona was diagnosed with cocaine addiction in 1991 and retired from professional football in 1997. He made a comeback in 2008, playing for Dubai-based club Al Wasl FC. He currently serves as the head coach of Argentine Primera División side Gimnasia de La Plata.

Maradona has been plagued by health problems in recent years, including heart disease and obesity. In 2020, he was hospitalized due to a bleed on the brain.

1995: George Weah

George Weah is a retired professional footballer who played as a striker. He was world player of the year in 1995 and is the only African player to have won the award. He is also a three-time winner of the African Player of the Year award. In 1996, he was named FIFA World Player of the Year and in 2004 he was named by Pele in his list of 125 greatest living footballers.

Weah began his career in his native Liberia, spending two seasons with Mighty Barolle before moving to Europe in 1988 where he signed for French club AS Monaco. After five successful seasons in Monaco, he moved to Italian club AC Milan for a then world record fee of $19 million.

He spent four seasons at Milan, winning trophies including the UEFA Champions League in 1994 and Serie A in 1996. In 1995, Weah moved to England to join Chelsea for a brief spell before returning to Italy to play for Inter Milan and then AC Milan again.

He returned to France in 2001, joining Marseille on loan from Milan before signing permanently for Paris Saint-Germain later that year. He spent two seasons at PSG before retiring from football in 2003.

Weah has since embarked on a political career; he ran unsuccessfully for president of Liberia in 2005 but was elected to the Liberian senate in 2014. In 2017, he was elected president of Liberia, defeating incumbent Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in a run-off vote.

1996: Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish club Real Madrid and the Portugal national team. He is often considered the best player in the world and is widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time. Ronaldo has won five Ballon d’Or awards, four European Golden Shoes, and many other individual and team awards.

He began his career as a youth player with Sporting CP before signing with Manchester United in 2003. His transfer to Real Madrid in 2009 was the then-world record fee of £80 million (€94 million). In Spain, he has since won fifteen major trophies, including two La Liga titles, two Copas del Rey, three Champions League titles, and four UEFA Super Cups.

He holds records for most official goals scored in a single season for Real Madrid (61), most goals scored in a debut season (34), most hat-tricks in La Liga (34), as well as those for most assists (17) and most goals scored (450) in La Liga history.

1997: Ronaldo

Ronaldo, born on February 5, 1985, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish club Real Madrid and the Brazil national team. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest footballers of all time.

Ronaldo has won five Ballon d’Or awards, four of which he won consecutively, and three European Golden Shoes. He has been named the best Portuguese player of all time by the Portuguese Football Federation. In 2016, he received his fourth Ballon d’Or award, his first in four years.

In addition to his individual honors, Ronaldo has helped Real Madrid win four UEFA Champions League titles and three FIFA Club World Cups. He also led Portugal to their first ever triumph in a major international tournament by winning Euro 2016. With 61 goals in 127 appearances for Portugal, Ronaldo is the country’s all-time top scorer and second most-capped player behind Luis Figo.

1998: Zinedine Zidane

Zinedine Zidane is a French football manager and former professional player who played as an attacking midfielder. He is currently the manager of Spanish club Real Madrid.

Zidane was born in La Castellane, Marseille, and began his career with Cannes. He moved to Bordeaux in 1992, and then to Juventus in 1996. With Juventus he won the Intercontinental Cup and the UEFA Champions League. After nine years at Juventus, Zidane transferred to Real Madrid for a world record fee of €77 million. In Spain, he won the La Liga championship three times and was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1998. Zidane retired from professional football after the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

In 2010, he was inducted into the FIFA World Football Hall of Fame. Three years later, he became head coach of Real Madrid’s B team before taking over as manager of the senior side in 2016. Under his management, Los Blancos have won one La Liga title and two UEFA Champions League titles.

Zidane is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. A three-time FIFA World Player of the Year, he was named European Footballer of the Year in 1998. His individual accolades include being named to both FIFA and France Football’s inaugural Ballon d’Or Dream Team in 2017.

In 2004, he was ranked by Pelé as one of the 125 greatest living footballers at number 50 and by  FIFA as the 21st century’s greatest player.

In 2019, Zidane was named Best FIFA Men’s Coach. He also received the Prince of Asturias Award for Sports in 2020.

1999: Rivaldo

Rivaldo Vítor Borba Ferreira is a Brazilian former professional footballer and ambassador for Barcelona. He played mainly as an attacking midfielder but also as a winger. Rivaldo spent most of his career with Spanish club Barcelona, winning the 1998 and 1999 Ballon d’Or awards while playing for them. He helped lead Brazil to their fifth World Cup triumph in 2002.

A versatile player, Rivaldo could play anywhere in midfield or as a forward, and was noted for his powerful bending free-kicks and long range volleys. He had excellent technical skills, vision, and played an important role in the development of Brazilian football during his time. In 1999 he was voted FIFA World Player of the Year, and won the Ballon d’Or three times; in 2004 he was named by Pelé as one of the 125 greatest living footballers.

2000: Luis Figo

Luis Figo is a Portuguese football legend who has played for some of the biggest clubs in the world, including Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Inter Milan. He is a former FIFA World Player of the Year and was one of the most decorated players of his generation.

Figo began his career with Sporting Lisbon before making a big-money move to Barcelona in 1995. He quickly established himself as one of the best players in the world and helped Barcelona win two La Liga titles and the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.

In 2000, Figo made a shock move to arch-rivals Real Madrid for a then world record fee of £37 million. He went on to win the La Liga title three times with Madrid and was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 2001.

After spending five years at Madrid, Figo returned to Italy with Inter Milan in 2005. He won another Serie A title with Inter before retiring from football in 2009.

Figo was one of the most gifted and successful players of his generation and is widely regarded as one of the greatest Portuguese players of all time.

2001: Michael Owen

Michael Owen is one of the most decorated footballers of all time. He has won the FIFA World Player of the Year award, the Ballon d’Or, and the UEFA Champions League. He is also a member of the England national team.

Owen began his professional career with Liverpool in 1996. He quickly established himself as one of the best players in the world and helped Liverpool win numerous trophies, including the UEFA Champions League in 2001.

In 2003, Owen transferred to Real Madrid where he continued to excel. He won La Liga in his first season with Madrid and was named the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2004.

Owen’s career took a turn for the worse in 2005 when he suffered a serious knee injury while playing for England. He struggled to recover from this injury and was never able to regain his previous form.

In 2012, Owen announced his retirement from football at the age of 33. He finished his career with 158 goals in 297 appearances for Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Manchester United, and Stoke City.

2002: Ronaldo

Ronaldo, born in 1986, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Spanish club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Brazil national team. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest footballers of all time.

Ronaldo began his career as a youth player for Cruzeiro, before signing with Dutch club PSV Eindhoven in 1994. After two seasons with PSV, he moved to Spanish giants FC Barcelona in 1996. Ronaldo spent four seasons with Barcelona, before joining Italian club Inter Milan in 1997.

He spent one season with Inter, before returning to Barcelona in 1998. In his second spell with Barcelona, Ronaldo won the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 1999. He also helped Barcelona win the UEFA Champions League in 1999-2000.

In 2000, Ronaldo signed for Real Madrid in a world-record transfer fee of €77 million (£46 million). He spent nine seasons with Real Madrid, winning multiple honors including two La Liga titles and two UEFA Champions League titles.

Ronaldo left Real Madrid in 2009 to join Italian club Juventus. He spent four seasons with Juventus, helping them win Serie A twice and reach the UEFA Champions League final in 2017. In 2018, he returned to Spain by joining Spanish club Real Madrid on a four-year contract.

2003: Pavel Nedved

Pavel Nedved is a Czech professional footballer who played as a midfielder for Juventus and the Czech Republic national team. He was named the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2003.

Born in Cheb, Nedved began his career with Dukla Prague in the Czech First League. He moved to Sparta Prague in 1996 and won the Czech Cup. He signed with Lazio in 2001 for €41 million, making him the most expensive player in Italian football at the time.

In his four seasons with Lazio, Nedved won two Serie A titles, one Coppa Italia title and reached the UEFA Cup final during his first season. He joined Juventus in 2005 for €5 million. With Juventus, Nedved won four consecutive Serie A titles from 2005 to 2008–09, as well as a fourth consecutive Coppa Italia title during that same timeframe; he also reached two Champions League finals with Juventus, losing both times. He retired from professional football after the 2010–11 season due to persistent injuries.

At international level, Nedved represented Czechoslovakia at UEFA Euro 1996 and was voted runner-up for Euro 96’s Player of the Tournament award behind Germany’s Matthias Sammer. Following the dissolution of Czechoslovakia into Slovakia and the Czech Republic, he captained his newly formed country at Euro 2000 where they finished second behind winners France; he was once again voted runner-up for individual honours behind Frenchman Zinedine Zidane.

Nedved was a member of the Czech Republic national team at UEFA Euro 2004 and was voted the tournament’s most outstanding player as he led his country to a surprising semi-final finish. He announced his retirement from the Czech Republic national team in June 2006.

2004: Andriy Shevchenko

Andriy Shevchenko is a retired Ukrainian footballer who played for Dynamo Kyiv, Milan, Chelsea and the Ukraine national team as a striker. He is widely considered to be one of the best strikers of his generation.

Shevchenko began his career with Dynamo Kyiv in 1994 and quickly became one of the most prolific scorers in Ukrainian football history. His 39 goals in 50 games during the 1997–98 season made him the top scorer in all competitions that year. Shevchenko continued his scoring ways by netting 29 times in 32 league appearances during the 1998–99 campaign.

In 1999, Shevchenko signed with Italian club Milan for a then-record transfer fee of $25 million. He immediately became a key figure for Milan, scoring on his debut against Lecce and going on to score 19 goals in his first season with the club.

He would go on to spend 7 seasons with Milan, winning several trophies including the Serie A title (2003), Champions League (2003), Coppa Italia (2003) and Supercoppa Italiana (2004). In total, he scored 175 goals in 322 appearances for Milan.

In 2006, Shevchenko signed with English club Chelsea for a reported fee of $46 million. He struggled to find his form during his time at Chelsea, scoring only 9 times in 48 league appearances. He was loaned back to Milan for the 2008-09 season before returning to Chelsea and eventually being released by the  club in 2009.

After a brief spell with Dynamo Kyiv, Shevchenko retired from football in 2012. He is the all-time leading goalscorer for the Ukrainian national team with 48 goals in 111 appearances.

2005: Ronaldinho

Ronaldinho is a former professional footballer and one of the best players of his generation. He played for some of the biggest clubs in the world, including Barcelona and Milan, and was part of the Brazilian national team that won the 2002 World Cup.

Ronaldinho was known for his technique, creativity, and dribbling ability, as well as his overhead kicks, no-look passes, and striking from range. He was an excellent free-kick taker and often scored spectacular goals from long distance. In 2004, he was named FIFA World Player of the Year and in 2005 he won the Ballon d’Or.

After a successful career at club level, Ronaldinho retired from football in 2018. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest ever players and his legacy will live on for many years to come.

2006: Fabio Cannavaro

Fabio Cannavaro is a former Italian professional footballer who played as a centre-back. He spent the majority of his career in Italy, winning several trophies with Juventus and Internazionale, before spells with Real Madrid and Parma. A world-class defender, he was considered to be one of the greatest defenders of his generation. He is also Italy’s most capped player with 136 appearances.

Cannavaro began his career at Napoli in 1992. He made his Serie A debut the following year and went on to establish himself as a first-team regular. He won his first major trophy in 1995, when Napoli won the Serie A title. The following year, he captained the club to victory in the UEFA Cup.

In 1997, he moved to Juventus for a then world record fee of €23 million. With Juve, he won two more Serie A titles, as well as the Champions League and Intercontinental Cup in 1996. In 1999, he was named FIFA World Player of the Year and won the Ballon d’Or.

After Juve’s relegation in 2006, Cannavaro joined Internazionale on a free transfer. He helped Inter win their first ever Serie A title since 1989–90 season; Inter had earlier gone 18 years without winning the league title. In 2009, he signed for Spanish giants Real Madrid on a two-year contract. After struggling with injuries throughout his time at Madrid, he was released at the  end of his contract and subsequently retired from professional football.

Cannavaro has represented Italy at four FIFA World Cups, winning a bronze medal in 1994, and reached the final of UEFA Euro 2000, where he was named in the team of the tournament. He also represented his country at Euro 2004 and the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

He was named captain of the Italian national team in 2002, and led them to victory in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, becoming only the second Italian player after Giacomo Rossi to lift the World Cup trophy as captain. He has also won numerous individual awards, including the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2006, and he is widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders of all time.

2007: Kaka

Kaka is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Orlando City. He was born in Gama, Brazil, on April 22, 1982. Kaka began his career with Sao Paulo before joining AC Milan in 2003. He helped Milan win the UEFA Champions League in 2007 and was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 2007.

Kaka left Milan for Real Madrid in 2009 and spent four seasons with the Spanish club. He returned to Milan in 2013 and joined Orlando City in 2014. Kaka has also played for the Brazilian national team and was a member of the 2002 and 2006 World Cup squads.

2008: Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo, who is commonly known as CR7, is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish club Real Madrid and the Portugal national team. He is considered to be one of the greatest players of all time and has been ranked as the world’s most famous athlete by Forbes.

Ronaldo has won five Ballon d’Or awards, four European Golden Shoes, and he is the first player in history to win four FIFA World Player of the Year awards. On top of all of those individual honors, he has helped lead his teams to numerous championships, including the 2016 Euro Cup with Portugal and the 2014 and 2016 Champions League titles with Real Madrid.

2009: Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi, an Argentine professional footballer, is currently considered the best player in the world and has been voted FIFA World Player of the Year four times. He plays for FC Barcelona and is the captain of Argentina’s national team. Messi is a creative playmaker who often weaves his way through opponents’ defenses with ease. He is also an excellent finisher and has scored some of the most memorable goals in recent years.

Messi began his career with Newell’s Old Boys in Rosario, Argentina. He then moved to Europe, joining FC Barcelona’s youth academy at the age of 13. He made his first-team debut for Barcelona in 2004 and has since become one of the club’s most important players. With Barcelona, Messi has won four UEFA Champions League titles, eight La Liga championships, five Copas del Rey, three Supercopas de España, two Club World Cups, and one Spanish Super Cup.

At international level, Messi has represented Argentina at three FIFA World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014) and two Copa América tournaments (2007, 2011). He was a member of the Argentine team that won the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. He has also won individual awards such as the Golden Ball (2009), Golden Boot (2010), and FIFA Ballon d’Or (2009, 2010, 2011).

2010: Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish club Barcelona and the Argentina national team. Often considered the best player in the world and rated by some in the sport as the greatest of all time, Messi is the only football player in history to win five FIFA Ballons d’Or, four of which he won consecutively, and the first player to win three European Golden Shoes.

With Barcelona he has won eight La Ligas, four UEFA Champions Leagues, six Copas del Rey, three Supercopas de España, two Club World Cups, and an Inter-Continental Cup. A prolific goalscorer, Messi holds the records for most goals scored in La Liga (371), a La Liga season (50) and a calendar year (91), while his tally of 235 goals in official games for Barcelona is surpassed only by their former player Migueli.

Messi has scored 70 goals in 138 appearances for Argentina. His debut came aged 18 against Hungary. He was the youngest member of the squad at the 2006 FIFA World Cup where he became his country’s youngest ever goal scorer at age 19.

He helped lead Argentina to victory at the 2014 FIFA World Cup over Netherlands with a goal in extra time during lets play soccer again soon final. At 26 years old, he became captain of his country for its game against Ecuador on 11 October 2014 before leading them to triumph at Copa América 2015 with another goal during lets play  soccer again soon final.

2011: Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish club Barcelona and the Argentina national team. Often considered the best player in the world and rated by some in the sport as the greatest of all time, Messi is the only football player in history to win five FIFA Ballons d’Or, four of which he won consecutively, and the first player to win three European Golden Shoes.

With Barcelona he has won eight La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League titles, three Copas del Rey, six Supercopas de España, three FIFA Club World Cups, and two UEFA Super Cups. An Argentine international, Messi is his country’s all-time leading goalscorer. At youth level he won the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship with Argentina before moving on to senior level. His style of play as a diminutive yet gifted winger attracted comparisons with compatriot Diego Maradona, who declared the teenager his successor.

After making his debut for Argentina in August 2005 aged 18, Messi became his country’s youngest ever goal scorer at 19 years old when he scored during a 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Paraguay. He was selected for that year’s World Cup but did not score during an injury-hit tournament; however at 19 years 137 days old he became both Argentina’s youngest starter and youngest goalscorer with a last-minute strike against Serbia & Montenegro that saved his team from elimination in the group stage.

Two years later he became the youngest player to represent Argentina at the Olympic Games. While at Barcelona, Messi has been an essential part of a successful era for the club, winning twelve La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League titles, five Copas del Rey, six Supercopas de España and three FIFA Club World Cups.

As the club’s all-time leading goalscorer Messi is also Barcelona’s greatest ever playmaker. He holds several records including most goals scored in a La Liga season (50), a La Liga career (305), most goals scored in a single La Liga game (5), most hat-tricks in La Liga (28), most assists made in La Liga (145), UCL (41) and Copa América history (11). A prolific goalscorer, he holds the record for most goals scored in a calendar year at 91, as well as becoming the first footballer to score on every day of the week.

2012: Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish club Barcelona and the Argentina national team. Often considered the best player in the world and rated by some as the greatest of all time, Messi has won a record-tying five Ballon d’Or awards, four of which he won consecutively, and a record five European Golden Shoes.

He has spent his entire professional career with Barcelona, where he has won 33 trophies, including nine La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League titles, and six Copas del Rey. A prolific goal scorer, Messi is known for his finishing, positioning, quick reactions, and ability to make decisive passes. He frequently attempts to create goal-scoring opportunities for his teammates through assists and through running into space on the right flank.

2013: Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish club Real Madrid and the Portugal national team. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest players of all time, and has won five Ballon d’Or awards, the most for a European player.

Ronaldo has also won four European Golden Shoes, three UEFA Champions Leagues, two FIFA Club World Cups, and one UEFA Nations League title. In 2019, he received the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year and the Globe Soccer Player of the Year awards.

Ronaldo began his senior career with Sporting CP, before signing with Manchester United in 2003. At age 18, he became the youngest player ever to score in the UEFA Champions League. In 2007, Ronaldo signed for Real Madrid in a then-world record transfer fee of €94 million (£80 million).

With Real Madrid, Ronaldo has won 15 trophies including four UEFA Champions Leagues, three FIFA Club World Cups and two La Liga titles. Ronado has set numerous records while playing for both United and Real Madrid; including becoming Real Madrid’s all-time top goal scorer and becoming the first player to score 100 goals in a single season in La Liga.

2014: Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo, who is widely considered to be one of the greatest players of all time, has won the FIFA World Player of the Year award five times. He first won the award in 2008, and then again in 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017. Ronaldo is the only player to have won the award more than three times.

2015: Lionel Messi

In 2009, Messi was the first player ever to win three FIFA Ballons d’Or. He followed that up with another in 2010 and then again in 2011. In 2012, he won a fourth Ballon d’Or, making him the only player to have won the award four times. In 2013, he became the all-time top scorer in La Liga, breaking the record previously held by Telmo Zarra. And in 2014, he was named FIFA World Player of the Year for a record fifth time.

There is no doubt that Lionel Messi is one of the greatest footballers of all time. He has achieved so much at such a young age and shows no signs of slowing down. He is a true inspiration to people all over the world and will continue to be for many years to come.

2016: Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo is a Portuguese football player who has played for some of the biggest clubs in Europe including Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time and has won numerous individual awards including the Ballon d’Or.

Ronaldo began his career with Sporting Lisbon before moving to Manchester United where he won multiple trophies including the Premier League and Champions League. He then moved to Real Madrid for a world record fee and helped them win several trophies including La Liga and the Champions League again. In 2018, he moved to Juventus where he has continued to win trophies, most recently helping them win the Serie A title in 2020.

Throughout his career, Ronaldo has scored over 700 goals and won many individual awards such as the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year. He is currently the second highest scorer in Champions League history and is also Portugal’s all-time leading goalscorer.

2017: Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese football superstar, is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. He has won the FIFA World Player of the Year award five times, more than any other player in history. Ronaldo began his career with Sporting Lisbon before signing with Manchester United in 2003. He helped United win the Premier League title and Champions League in his first season with the club. In 2009, he transferred to Real Madrid for a world record fee of €94 million.

Ronaldo has won numerous individual awards, including the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year. He is one of only three men to have won both awards more than once. Ronaldo has also broken numerous goal-scoring records, including becoming Real Madrid’s all-time leading goal scorer and becoming the first player to score 100 goals in UEFA Champions League history. He is married to Georgina Rodriguez and they have three children together.

2018: Luka Modrić

Luka Modric is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Spanish club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Croatia national team. He is widely considered to be one of the best players of his generation. A versatile midfielder, Modric is capable of playing on either wing as well as through the centre of the pitch.

He began his career at Dinamo Zagreb, where he made his senior debut in 2003 and spent six seasons before moving to English side Tottenham Hotspur in 2008 for a fee of £16.5 million. In 2012, he joined Real Madrid for a fee of £30 million.

At Tottenham, Modric established himself as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League and was named in the PFA Team of the Year for two consecutive seasons. At Real Madrid, he has won four Champions League titles, three FIFA Club World Cups, two La Liga titles and one Copa del Rey.

Modric has also been named FIFA World Player of the Year, The Best FIFA Men’s Player, UEFA Men’s Player of the Year and Ballon d’Or runner-up. He was voted into first place by fellow professionals in both The Best FIFA Men’s Player and UEFA Men’s Player of the Year awards in 2018. In 2019, he became only the third Croatian player to be inducted into FIFA’s Hall of Fame after Davor Suker and Zvonimir Boban.

2019: Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish club Barcelona and the Argentina national team. Often considered the best player in the world and rated by many in the sport as the greatest of all time, Messi has won a record-tying five Ballon d’Or awards, four of which he won consecutively, and a record five European Golden Shoes.

He has spent his entire professional career with Barcelona, where he has won 33 trophies, including nine La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League titles and six Copas del Rey. A prolific goalscorer, Messi holds the records for most goals scored in La Liga (437), a La Liga season (50) and a football calendar year (91), as well as those for most assists made in La Liga (174) and the Copa América (12). He has scored 70 goals in 138 appearances for Argentina, making him their all-time top scorer.

2020: Robert Lewandowski

Robert Lewandowski is a Polish professional footballer who plays as a striker for Bundesliga club Bayern Munich and is the captain of the Poland national team. He is widely regarded as one of the best strikers in the world, and has been ranked as the world’s fourth-best player by FourFourTwo magazine in 2019.

Lewandowski began his career at Znicz Pruszków, making his first senior appearance in 2006. He moved to Lech Poznań in 2008, where he won the Ekstraklasa and Polish Cup in his first season. In 2010, he transferred to Borussia Dortmund for a reported €4.5 million, where he helped the club win back-to-back Bundesliga titles in 2011 and 2012, as well as reach the final of the UEFA Champions League in 2013. After winning two more Bundesliga titles with Dortmund (in 2014 and 2015), he signed for Bayern Munich on a free transfer in 2014.

With Bayern, Lewandowski has won six consecutive Bundesliga titles (from 2015 to 2020), three DFB-Pokals (in 2016, 2017 and 2018), three UEFA Champions Leagues (in 2016–17, 2017–18 and 2019–20) and was part of their treble-winning campaign in 2020–21. He scored 13 goals during Bayern’s successful 2020–21 UEFA Champions League campaign – leading all players – including two goals in their 3–0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the  final.

Lewandowski has also been named Polish Footballer of the Year a record eight times, and is the country’s all-time leading goalscorer. He was also included in UEFA’s Team of the Year four times (in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017), as well as in FIFA’s FIFPro World XI four times (in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019). In 2020, he was ranked by The Guardian as the fourth-best footballer in the world.

Honours:

Club:

Bayern Munich: Bundesliga: 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20 DFB-Pokal: 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18 UEFA Champions League: 2015–16, 2016–17, 2019–20 FIFA Club World Cup: 2020–21

Borussia Dortmund: Bundesliga: 2010–11, 2011–12 DFB-Pokal: 2011–12 DFL-Supercup: 2013, 2014

Individual:

FIFA FIFPro World XI: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

The Guardian’s 100 best footballers in the world: 2020 (4th)

FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball: 2020

FIFA Club World Cup Silver Boot: 2020

UEFA Champions League Top Scorer: 2020–21 (13 goals)

2021: Robert Lewandowski

Robert Lewandowski is a Polish professional footballer who plays as a striker for Bayern Munich and is the captain of the Poland national team. He is widely regarded as one of the best strikers in the world, and has been listed among Forbes magazine’s highest-paid athletes in 2020.

Lewandowski began his career at Znicz Pruszków, where he played for four years before transferring to Lech Poznań. He won the 2009–10 Ekstraklasa with Lech, and was the top scorer in the league with 18 goals. In 2010, he transferred to Borussia Dortmund for a reported €4.5 million.

At Dortmund, Lewandowski quickly established himself as one of the best strikers in the Bundesliga, winning consecutive Bundesliga titles in 2011 and 2012, and being named Polish Footballer of the Year twice. He also helped Dortmund reach the 2013 UEFA Champions League Final, where they lost to Bayern Munich. In 2014, he joined Bayern Munich for a then-record transfer fee of €37 million.

In his first season at Bayern, Lewandowski won his third Bundesliga title with the club and scored a record 26 goals to win both the Torjägerkanone (Bundesliga top scorer award) and European Golden Shoe awards. The following season he helped Bayern win their first ever FIFA Club World Cup, scoring twice in their 4–0 victory over Barcelona in the final. He has since gone on to win  four more Bundesliga titles with Bayern, as well as the DFB-Pokal in 2016, 2017 and 2018. He has also won the German Footballer of the Year award twice.

Lewandowski is the all-time leading scorer for both Bayern Munich and the Poland national team. He has scored over 500 career goals for club and country, making him one of only a handful of players to reach that milestone. He is also one of only two players (along with Cristiano Ronaldo) to have scored 50 or more goals in six consecutive seasons. In 2020, he was named by The Guardian as one of the best footballers of the 21st century.

Awards and Achievements:

– Polish Sports Personality of the Year (2011, 2015)

– UEFA Champions League Top Scorer (2012–13, 2016–17)

– Bundesliga Top Scorer (2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17)

– Bundesliga Player of the Season (2016–17)

– FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball (2013)

– FIFA Club World Cup Top Scorer (2013)

– IFFHS World’s Best Top Division Goal Scorer (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017)

– UEFA Men’s Player of the Year Award (2015)

2022: Karim Benzema

Karim Benzema is a French professional footballer who plays as a striker for Spanish club Real Madrid and the France national team. He has been described as an “immensely talented striker” who is “strong and powerful” and “a potent finisher from inside the box”.

Benzema was born in the city of Lyon and began his football career with local club Olympique Lyonnais. He progressed through the club’s youth academy and was promoted to the senior team in 2004. He made his professional debut in the 2004–05 season and appeared sporadically in his first three seasons as Lyon won consecutive Ligue 1 titles. In 2006–07, Benzema became a regular starter and had a breakout year, scoring 26 goals in 50 appearances as Lyon won their third consecutive title.

The following season, Benzema scored 32 goals in 49 appearances to win the Ligue 1 Player of the Year award, helping Lyon win their fourth consecutive title. In 2008–09, he scored 28 goals in 44 appearances as Lyon reached the semi-finals of both domestic competitions and finished second in Ligue 1.

After struggling for form during the first half of 2009–10, Benzema regained his scoring touch and finished the season with 26 goals in 43 appearances as Lyon won their fifth consecutive Ligue 1 title. In 2010–11, he scored 30 goals to help Lyon win their sixth successive title. Benzema signed for Real Madrid for a fee of €35 million (£30 million) in July 2009. In his first season at Madrid, he scored 32 goals in 49 appearances to win the Pichichi Trophy as La Liga’s top scorer. He also helped Madrid win the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 12 years by scoring a headed goal in the final against city rivals Atlético Madrid.

In 2013–14, Benzema scored nine goals in 44 appearances as Madrid won the Copa del Rey and reached the Champions League semi-finals for the fourth consecutive season. In 2014–15, he scored 24 goals in 43 appearances as Madrid won their tenth European Cup by defeating Atlético Madrid in the final of the UEFA Champions League. He has continued to be a regular starter for Madrid and has won two more Champions League titles with the club, in 2016 and 2017.

At international level, Benzema made his senior debut for France in March 2007. He represented his country at Euro 2008 and Euro 2012, both times reaching the quarter-finals. He also played at the 2010 FIFA World Cup and 2014 FIFA World Cup, where he was a member of France’s squads that reached the respective finals. With 29 goals from 81 caps since his debut, Benzema is France’s all-time leading goal scorer.