UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award explained
The UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award (previously known as the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award) is an association football award given to the footballer playing for a men's football club in Europe that is considered the best in the previous season of both club and national team competition. The award, created in 2011 by UEFA in partnership with European Sports Media (ESM) group, was initially aimed at reviving the European Footballer of the Year Award (Ballon d'Or),[2] [3] which was merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year Award in 2010 to become the FIFA Ballon d'Or.[4] It also replaced the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year award.[5]
Cristiano Ronaldo has won the award the most time with 3 awards and is the only player to win it twice in a row.[6] [7] Female players are awarded the UEFA Women's Player of the Year Award, introduced in 2013.[8]
Criteria
According to UEFA, the award "recognise[s] the best player playing for a football club within the territory of a UEFA member association during the previous season." Players are judged by their performances in all competitions, domestic and international, and at club and national team levels throughout the season.
Voting
At the beginning, the award's voting format was a return to the old Ballon d'Or, which was decided purely by journalists.
In the first round of voting, 53 sports journalists representing each of the UEFA national associations provided a list of their three best-ranked players from one to three, with the first player receiving five points, the second three points and the third one point. The three players with the most points overall were shortlisted. The jury comprised renowned sports journalists representing each of UEFA's national associations, from RTV Albania to the Daily Post in Wales via members of European Sports Media, with whom UEFA collaborated on this award. The final vote, also by the journalists, then took place live via electronic voting during the presentation ceremony.
In 2017, however, UEFA added 80 coaches, from the clubs that participated in the group stages of that year's UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, to its jury. The amount of journalists selected by European Sports Media was also increased to 55, representing each of UEFA's member associations.[9]
In 2020/21 UEFA National Team Coaches were added to the jury [10]
In 2022/23 the Coaches from the UEFA Conference League Group stages were added to the jury[11]
Award history
Winners
Finalists
2010–11
2011–12
2012–13
2013–14
2014–15
2015–16
2016–17
2017–18
2018–19
2019–20
2020–21
2021–22
2022–23
By player
See also
Notes and References
- Web site: UEFA Best Player in Europe Award . European Sports Media . 8 December 2018 . 6 February 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190206045301/http://www.eusm.eu/item/bestplayer.htm . dead .
- News: UEFA Best Player in Europe Award launched . UEFA.com . Union of European Football Associations. 18 July 2011 . 30 August 2018.
- News: Uefa Launches Best Player In Europe Award . Goal.com . 18 July 2011 . Salvatore . Landolina . 18 July 2011.
- News: UEFA announces new award . ESPNSoccernet . 18 July 2011 . 18 July 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121026112147/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/935462/uefa-announces-best-player-in-europe-award?cc=5901 . 26 October 2012 . dead.
- News: UEFA announces Shortlist for UEFA Best Player in Europe . UEFA.com . Union of European Football Associations . 26 July 2011 . 26 July 2011.
- Web site: Cristiano Ronaldo named Best Player in Europe. UEFA.com . Union of European Football Associations. 25 August 2016. 25 August 2016.
- Web site: 24 August 2017 . Ronaldo named 2016/17 Men's Player of the Year . 8 October 2022 . UEFA.com .
- Web site: UEFA launches Best Women's Player in Europe Award. UEFA.com . Union of European Football Associations. 29 August 2013. 22 August 2013.
- News: Nominees revealed for 2016/17 UEFA Player of the Year Awards . UEFA.com . Union of European Football Associations . 15 August 2017 . 27 June 2020.
- News: Jorginho wins UEFA Men's Player of the Year award . UEFA.com . Union of European Football Associations . 26 August 2021 . 24 July 2024.
- News: Haalandwins UEFA Men's Player of the Year award . UEFA.com . Union of European Football Associations . 31 August 2023 . 24 July 2024.
- Web site: 25 August 2011 . Messi wins UEFA Best Player in Europe Award 2010/11 . 8 October 2022 . UEFA.com .
- News: Iniesta, Messi, Ronaldo up for Best Player Award . UEFA.com . Union of European Football Associations . 14 August 2012 . 19 August 2012.
- Web site: 30 August 2012 . Andrés Iniesta wins UEFA Best Player in Europe Award 2011/12 . 8 October 2022 . UEFA.com .
- Web site: 29 August 2013 . Franck Ribéry wins UEFA Best Player in Europe Award 2012/13 Inside UEFA . 8 October 2022 . UEFA.com .
- News: Neuer und Robben unter den Top 3 Europas . FC Bayern München . 14 August 2014 . 27 August 2014 . de .
- Web site: 28 August 2014 . Nadine Kessler and Cristiano Ronaldo voted UEFA Best Players in Europe 2013/14 . 8 October 2022 . UEFA.com .
- News: Best Player in Europe: Messi, Ronaldo or Suárez . UEFA.com . Union of European Football Associations. 12 August 2015 . 12 August 2015.
- Web site: 11 October 2015 . Premio al Mejor Jugador de la UEFA en Europa - 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151011032812/http://es.uefa.org/uefa-best-player-award/season=2015/winner/index.html . 11 October 2015 . 8 October 2022 . UEFA.com . es .
- News: Best Player in Europe: Bale, Griezmann or Ronaldo . UEFA.com . Union of European Football Associations . 5 August 2016 . 5 August 2016 .
- Web site: Buffon, Messi and Ronaldo on Player of the Year shortlist. UEFA.com . Union of European Football Associations. 15 August 2017. 15 August 2017.
- News: Luka Modrić wins UEFA Men's Player of the Year award . 30 August 2018 . UEFA.com . Union of European Football Associations . 30 August 2018 .
- News: Virgil van Dijk wins UEFA Men's Player of the Year award . 29 August 2019 . UEFA.com . Union of European Football Associations . 30 August 2019 .
- Web site: Robert Lewandowski wins UEFA Men's Player of the Year award . 1 October 2020 . UEFA.com . Union of European Football Associations . 1 October 2020 .
- News: Jorginho wins UEFA Men's Player of the Year award . 26 August 2021 . UEFA.com . Union of European Football Associations . 26 August 2020 .
- News: 12 August 2022 . UEFA Men's Player of the Year nominees: Benzema, Courtois, De Bruyne . 8 October 2022 . UEFA.com . Union of European Football Associations.
- News: Karim Benzema wins UEFA Men's Player of the Year award. UEFA.com . Union of European Football Associations. 25 August 2022. 25 August 2022.
- News: 17 August 2023 . 2022/23 UEFA Men's Player of the Year award nominees announced: Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland, Lionel Messi . 17 August 2023 . UEFA.com . Union of European Football Associations.
- News: 31 August 2023 . Erling Haaland wins UEFA Men's Player of the Year award . 31 August 2023 . UEFA.com . Union of European Football Associations.
Erling Haaland
Andrés Iniesta
Franck Ribéry
Lionel Messi
Robert Lewandowski
Jorginho
Radamel Falcao
Zlatan Ibrahimović
Didier Drogba
Petr Čech
Neymar
Eden Hazard
Mohamed Salah
Sadio Mané
Filip Kostić