The Best FIFA Men's Player
The Best FIFA Men's Player is the premier individual honor in association football, presented annually by FIFA, the sport's global governing body. Established in its current form in 2016, the award recognizes the player who has demonstrated the most outstanding performance over the preceding calendar year.
The award represents the latest evolution of FIFA's efforts to honor excellence. It follows two previous iterations: the FIFA World Player of the Year (1991–2009) and the FIFA Ballon d'Or (2010–2015), the latter of which was a six-year partnership with France Football.
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Key Facts
- Established: 2016 (current iteration).
- Governing Body: FIFA.
- Most Awards: Lionel Messi (3 awards in the current format).
- Current Holder: Ousmane Dembélé.
- Trophy Designer: Croatian artist Ana Barbić Katičić.
Evolution and History
The path to the current award was marked by strategic mergers and separations. In 2010, FIFA paid £13 million to merge the FIFA World Player of the Year with the Ballon d'Or, creating the FIFA Ballon d'Or. This era was largely defined by the intense rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
By 2016, the partnership ended. The Ballon d'Or returned to being voted for exclusively by journalists, and FIFA resurrected its own independent award, rebranding it as The Best FIFA Men's Player. Reports suggest this shift was partly motivated by a desire to improve relations with England's FA, as then-president Gianni Infantino sought to move the annual ceremony from Zürich to London.
Criteria and Voting Process
Winning the award requires more than just scoring goals; FIFA evaluates candidates based on sporting performance and general conduct both on and off the pitch.
To ensure a balanced perspective, the voting power is split equally (25% each) among four distinct groups:
- National team coaches
- National team captains
- Media representatives
- The general public (introduced in October 2016)
Winners and Rankings
Since its inception in 2016, the award has seen a variety of global stars take the top spot, from the dominance of Ronaldo and Messi to the rise of new talents like Vinícius Júnior and Ousmane Dembélé.
| Year | Winner | Club | Vote % / Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid | 34.54% |
| 2017 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid | 43.16% |
| 2018 | Luka Modrić | Real Madrid | 29.05% |
| 2019 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | 46 |
| 2020 | Robert Lewandowski | Bayern Munich | 52 |
| 2021 | Robert Lewandowski | Bayern Munich | 48 |
| 2022 | Lionel Messi | Paris Saint-Germain | 52 |
| 2023 | Lionel Messi | Inter Miami | 48 |
| 2024 | Vinícius Júnior | Real Madrid | 48 |
| 2025 | Ousmane Dembélé | Paris Saint-Germain | 50 |
All-Time FIFA Player of the Year Records
When combining the current award with its predecessors (FIFA World Player of the Year and FIFA Ballon d'Or), Lionel Messi holds the record for the most total wins with 8 titles.
- Lionel Messi: 8 total (1 World Player, 4 Ballon d'Or, 3 The Best)
- Cristiano Ronaldo: 5 total (1 World Player, 2 Ballon d'Or, 2 The Best)
- Ronaldo: 3 total (3 World Player)
- Zinedine Zidane: 3 total (3 World Player)
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the current holder of The Best FIFA Men's Player award?
The current holder is Ousmane Dembélé.
How is the winner of the award decided?
The winner is decided by a vote split equally (25% each) between national team coaches, national team captains, media representatives, and the general public.
What is the difference between this award and the Ballon d'Or?
While they were merged from 2010 to 2015 as the FIFA Ballon d'Or, they are now separate. The Ballon d'Or is voted for exclusively by journalists, whereas The Best FIFA Men's Player involves a broader voting pool including coaches, captains, and fans.
Who has won the most FIFA awards across all iterations?
Lionel Messi has won the most, with a total of 8 awards across the three different iterations of FIFA's player of the year honors.
What criteria are used to select the winner?
The selection is based on the player's sporting performance as well as their general conduct both on and off the pitch.