World Soccer Player of the Year
Since 1982, World Soccer, an English language football magazine, has voted on the "Player of the Year". The winners of this award are listed below.
See how this list compares to the FIFA player of the year award given for the same years - they do not always agree.
World Soccer also published in 1999 a list of the top 100 soccer players of the 20th century.
List of Winners
| year | player | team | votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Erling Haaland | Manchester City | |
| 2022 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | |
| 2021 | Robert Lewandowski | Bayern Munich | |
| 2020 | Robert Lewandowski | Bayern Munich | |
| 2019 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | |
| 2018 | Luka Modrić | Real Madrid | |
| 2017 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid | |
| 2016 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid | |
| 2015 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | |
| 2014 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid | |
| 2013 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid | |
| 2012 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | 47.3% |
| 2011 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | 60.2% |
| 2010 | Xavi Hernandez | Barcelona | 25.8% |
| 2009 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | 43.2% |
| 2008 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Manchester United | 48% |
| 2007 | Kaká | Milan | 52% |
| 2006 | Fabio Cannavaro | Real Madrid | 40% |
| 2005 | Ronaldinho | Barcelona | 39% |
| 2004 | Ronaldinho | Barcelona | 29% |
| 2003 | Pavel Nedvěd | Juventus | 36% |
| 2002 | Ronaldo | Real Madrid | 26% |
| 2001 | Michael Owen | Liverpool | 31% |
| 2000 | Luís Figo | Real Madrid | 26% |
| 1999 | Rivaldo | Barcelona | 42% |
| 1998 | Zinedine Zidane | Juventus | 23% |
| 1997 | Ronaldo | Internazionale | 27% |
| 1996 | Ronaldo | Barcelona | 17% |
| 1995 | Gianluca Vialli | Juventus | 18% |
| 1994 | Paolo Maldini | Milan | 27% |
| 1993 | Roberto Baggio | Juventus | 14% |
| 1992 | Marco van Basten | Milan | 19% |
| 1991 | Jean-Pierre Papin | Marseille | 25% |
| 1990 | Lothar Matthäus | Internazionale | 22% |
| 1989 | Ruud Gullit | Milan | 24% |
| 1988 | Marco van Basten | Milan | 43% |
| 1987 | Ruud Gullit | Milan | 39% |
| 1986 | Diego Maradona | Napoli | 36% |
| 1985 | Michel Platini | Juventus | 21% |
| 1984 | Michel Platini | Juventus | 54% |
| 1983 | Zico | Udinese | 28% |
| 1982 | Paolo Rossi | Juventus | 23% |
Related Pages
- Comparison of three player of the year awards
- See also the list of the FIFA player of the year.
- 'World Soccer' top 100 soccer players of the 20th century.
- Football Awards Lists
- More Soccer Winners Lists
- More sporting lists
Any comments, suggestions, or corrections? Please let us know.
Upcoming Events