The Best FIFA Mens Player Award is an annual honor given by FIFA, football’s global governing body, since 2016. It recognizes the top player of the previous calendar year.
Before this, the award was known as the FIFA World Player of the Year. In 2010, FIFA merged this with the Ballon d’Or, an award by France Football, forming the FIFA Ballon d’Or for six years. FIFA reportedly paid £13 million for this merger. During this time, the award was dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. In 2016, the partnership ended, and the Ballon d’Or became a journalist-only vote, while FIFA reintroduced their award under a new name, “The Best FIFA Men’s Player.”
List of Players to Win the Best FIFA Mens Player Award
| Rank | Player |
|---|---|
| 1 | Lionel Messi |
| 2 | Cristiano Ronaldo |
| 3 | Robert Lewandowski |
| 4 | Luka Modric |
4. Luka Modric
In 2018, Luka Modric of Real Madrid won this award. That year was historic for the Croatian midfielder as he also secured the Ballon d’Or. Modric had an outstanding season with Real Madrid, winning the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, Spanish Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup. Internationally, he led Croatia to the 2018 World Cup final and earned the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player.
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3. Robert Lewandowski
Robert Lewandowski won the Best FIFA Men’s Player award twice in a row (2020 and 2021) while playing for Bayern Munich. Many fans believe he should have won the Ballon d’Or in 2020, which was canceled. However, FIFA recognized his incredible performances. During the 2020-21 season, he set two new records: the most goals in a single Bundesliga season (41) and the most Bundesliga goals in a calendar year (43). Now playing for Barcelona, Lewandowski continues his goal-scoring success in 2024.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo
As expected, Cristiano Ronaldo is near the top of this list, along with Messi. Ronaldo won the first FIFA Best award when it was reintroduced in 2016 and again in 2017. Reflecting on 2016, Ronaldo said it was “probably my best year so far,” both for his individual and team achievements. He led Real Madrid to victory in the UEFA Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup, and captained Portugal to win the UEFA Euros. He scored 42 goals for Real Madrid and 13 for Portugal that year. Remarkably, in 2016, Ronaldo won more trophies (4) than matches he lost (3). In 2017, he once again helped Madrid lift the Champions League trophy and won the Best FIFA Men’s Player award for a second time.
1. Lionel Messi
Widely regarded as the greatest footballer ever, Lionel Messi tops the list. Messi fulfilled his dream by winning the FIFA World Cup in 2022 and became the most decorated player in football history, with 45 trophies. He has also collected nearly every individual accolade, including a record eight Ballon d’Or titles. Messi has won the Best FIFA Men’s Player award three times—first in 2019 while playing for Barcelona, and then in 2022 and 2023 while playing for PSG. Now in the final stage of his career, Messi plays for Inter Miami in the MLS.
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