Won this Tuesday (174) by the Brazilian Vinicius Junior, the FIFA The Best award was created by the entity in 2016 to replace the old Best in the World, awarded for the first time in 1991, and also the FIFA Ballon d’Or, delivered in partnership with France Football magazine.
For almost 20 years, football’s highest governing body tried to compete with the prestige of the award from the traditional French magazine, which has chosen the best in the world since 1956.
In 2009, the two honors were unified to launch the FIFA Ballon d’Or award, won in its first edition also by Messi, in 2010.
The partnership lasted six seasons and was monopolized by the Argentine star, four times winner (2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015) and the Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo, two times winner (2013 and 2014).
With the end of the partnership, FIFA decided to recreate its award under the name The Best and, with eight editions to date, it has already awarded five different players, with two awards for Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski, and one for Luka Modrić and Vinicius Junior.
Considering the former Best in the World title, the period of partnership with France Football and the recreation of the FIFA award, Messi has seven achievements and is the biggest winner:
Messi – 7 awards – 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019 e 2022.
Cristiano Ronaldo – 5 awards – 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 e 2017.
Ronaldo – 3 awards – 1996, 1997 e 2002.
Zidane – 3 awards – 1998, 2000 e 2003.
Ronaldinho Gaúcho – 2 awards – 2004 e 2005.
Lewandowski – 2 awards – 2020 e 2021.
FIFA World Player of the Year – 1991/2009
2009 – Lionel Messi (ARG)
2008 – Cristiano Ronaldo (POR)
2007 – Kaká (BRA)
2006 – Fabio Cannavaro (ITA)
2005 – Ronaldinho (BRA)
2004 – Ronaldinho (BRA)
2003 – Zidane (FRA)
2002 – Ronaldo (GOOD)
2001 – Luís Figo (POR)
2000 – Zidane (FRA)
1999 – Rivaldo (BRA)
1998 – Zidane (FRA)
1997 – Ronaldo (GOOD)
1996 – Ronaldo (GOOD)
1995 – George Weah (LBR)
1994 – Romário (BRA)
1993 – Roberto Baggio (ITA)
1992 – Marco Van Basten (HOL)
1991 – Lothar Matthaus (ALE)
