All-Time
In My Opinion
Pelé - 7 Times
- 1x 2nd POTY
- 1x 3rd POTY
C. Ronaldo - 5 Times
- 5x 2nd POTY
- 3x 3rd POTY
J. Cruyff - 4 Times
- 0x 2nd POTY
- 0x 3rd POTY
Ballon d'Or
L. Messi - 5 Times
- 5x 2nd POTY
- 4x 3rd POTY
A. Di Stéfano - 4 Times
- 2x 2nd POTY
- 0x 3rd POTY
D. A. Maradona - 3 Times
- 5x 2nd POTY
- 2x 3rd POTY
F. Puskás - 4 Times
- 3x 2nd POTY
- 0x 3rd POTY
B. Meredith - 3 Times
- 2x 2nd POTY
- 0x 3rd POTY
Zico - 3 Times
- 2x 2nd POTY
- 1x 3rd POTY
I. Schlosser - 3 Times
- 2x 2nd POTY
- 0x 3rd POTY
2024
Winner : Vinícius Júnior
- Real Madrid
- Brazilian
- 1m76
- Left-Winger
2nd : Rodri
- Manchester City
- Spanish
- 1m90
- Defensive-Midfielder
3rd : Dani Carvajal
- Real Madrid
- Spanish
- 1m73
- Right-Back
2023
Winner : Erling Haaland
- Manchester City
- Norwegian
- 1m95
- Striker
2nd : Rodri
- Manchester City
- Spanish
- 1m90
- Defensive-Midfielder
3rd : Kylian Mbappé
- Paris Saint-Germain
- French
- 1m78
- Left-Winger
2022
Winner : Karim Benzema
- Real Madrid
- French
- 1m85
- False 9
2nd : Lionel Messi
- Paris Saint-Germain
- Argentinian
- 1m70
- Attacking-Midfielder/Right-Winger
3rd : Kevin De Bruyne
- Manchester City
- Belgian
- 1m81
- Attacking-Midfielder
2021
Winner : Robert Lewandowski
- Bayern Munich
- Polish
- 1m85
- Striker
2nd : Lionel Messi
- FC Barcelona/Paris Saint-Germain
- Argentinian
- 1m70
- Right-Winger
3rd : Karim Benzema
- Real Madrid
- French
- 1m85
- False 9
2020
Winner : Robert Lewandowski
- Bayern Munich
- Polish
- 1m85
- Striker
2nd : Kevin De Bruyne
- Manchester City
- Belgian
- 1m81
- Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Cristiano Ronaldo
- Juventus Turin
- Portuguese
- 1m85
- Striker
2010s
The Second Best of the Decade
- 4 POTY
- 3x 2nd POTY
- 2x 3rd POTY
The Best of the Decade
- 4 POTY
- 3x 2nd POTY
- 2x 3rd POTY
The Third Best of the Decade
- 0 POTY
- 1x 2nd POTY
- 1x 3rd POTY
2019
Winner : Virgil Van Dijk
- Liverpool
- Dutch
- 1m96
- Center-Back
2nd : Lionel Messi
- FC Barcelona
- Argentinian
- 1m70
- Right-Winger
3rd : Cristiano Ronaldo
- Juventus Turin
- Portuguese
- 1m85
- Striker
2018
Winner : Cristiano Ronaldo
- Real Madrid/Juventus Turin
- Portuguese
- 1m85
- Left-Winger
2nd : Antoine Griezmann
- Atlético Madrid
- Portuguese
- 1m75
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Luka Modrić
- Real Madrid
- Croatian
- 1m72
- Central-Midfielder
2017
Winner : Cristiano Ronaldo
- Real Madrid
- Portuguese
- 1m85
- Left-Winger
2nd : Lionel Messi
- FC Barcelona
- Argentinian
- 1m70
- Right-Winger
3rd : Neymar
- FC Barcelona/Paris Saint-Germain
- Brazilian
- 1m75
- Left-Winger
2016
Winner : Cristiano Ronaldo
- Real Madrid
- Portuguese
- 1m85
- Left-Winger
2nd : Lionel Messi
- FC Barcelona
- Argentinian
- 1m70
- Right-Winger
3rd : Antoine Griezmann
- Atlético Madrid
- French
- 1m75
- Second Striker
2015
Winner : Lionel Messi
- FC Barcelona
- Argentinian
- 1m70
- Right-Winger
2nd : Neymar
- FC Barcelona
- Argentinian
- 1m75
- Left-Winger
3rd : Cristiano Ronaldo
- Real Madrid
- Portuguese
- 1m85
- Left-Winger
2014
Winner : Cristiano Ronaldo
- Real Madrid
- Portuguese
- 1m85
- Leftt-Winger
2nd : Manuel Neuer
- Bayern Munich
- German
- 1m93
- Goalkeeper
3rd : Lionel Messi
- FC Barcelona
- Argentinian
- 1m70
- Right-Winger
2013
Winner : Franck Ribéry
- Bayern Munich
- French
- 1m70
- Left-Winger
2nd : Cristiano Ronaldo
- Real Madrid
- Portuguese
- 1m85
- Left-Winger
3rd : Lionel Messi
- FC Barcelona
- Argentinian
- 1m70
- False 9
2012
Winner : Lionel Messi
- FC Barcelona
- Argentinian
- 1m70
- False 9
2nd : Cristiano Ronaldo
- Real Madrid
- Portuguese
- 1m85
- Left-Winger
3rd : Andrés Iniesta
- FC Barcelona
- Spanish
- 1m71
- Attacking-Midfielder/Central-Midfielder
2011
Winner : Lionel Messi
- FC Barcelona
- Argentinian
- 1m70
- False 9
2nd : Cristiano Ronaldo
- Real Madrid
- Portuguese
- 1m85
- Left-Winger
3rd : Xavier Hernández
- FC Barcelona
- Spanish
- 1m70
- Central-Midfielder
2010
Winner : Lionel Messi
- Blackpool FC
- English
- 1m70
- False 9
2nd : Andrés Iniesta
- Real Madrid
- Spanish
- 1m71
- Attacking-Midfielder/Central-Midfielder
3rd : Wesley Sneijder
- Inter Milan
- Dutch
- 1m71
- Attacking-Midfielder
2000s
The Second Best of the Decade
- 1 POTY
- 2x 2nd POTY
- 0x 3rd POTY
The Best of the Decade
- 2 POTY
- 1x 2nd POTY
- 3x 3rd POTY
The Third Best of the Decade
- 1 POTY
- 2x 2nd POTY
- 0x 3rd POTY
2009
Winner : Lionel Messi
- FC Barcelona
- Argentinian
- 1m70
- False 9
2nd : Cristiano Ronaldo
- Manchester United/Real Madrid
- Portuguese
- 1m85
- Right-Winger
3rd : Xavi Hernández
- FC Barcelona
- Spanish
- 1m70
- Central-Midfielder
2008
Winner : Cristiano Ronaldo
- Manchester United
- Portuguese
- 1m85
- Right-Winger
2nd : Xavi Hernández
- FC Barcelona
- Spanish
- 1m70
- Central-Midfielder
3rd : Lionel Messi
- FC Barcelona
- Argentinian
- 1m70
- False 9
2007
Winner : Kaká
- AC Milan
- Brazilian
- 1m85
- Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Cristiano Ronaldo
- Manchester United
- Portuguese
- 1m85
- Right-Winger
3rd : Lionel Messi
- FC Barcelona
- Argentinian
- 1m70
- Right-Winger
2006
Winner : Thierry Henry
- Arsenal FC
- French
- 1m88
- Striker
2nd : Ronaldinho
- FC Barcelona
- Brazilian
- 1m82
- Left-Winger
3rd : Gianluigi Buffon
- Real Madrid
- Italian
- 1m92
- Goalkeeper
2005
Winner : Ronaldinho
- FC Barcelona
- Brazilian
- 1m82
- Leftt-Winger
2nd : Thierry Henry
- Arsenal FC
- French
- 1m88
- Striker
3rd : Steven Gerrard
- Liverpool FC
- English
- 1m83
- Central-Midfielder
2004
Winner : Deco
- FC Porto/FC Barcelona
- Portuguese
- 1m74
- Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Ronaldinho
- FC Barcelona
- Brazilian
- 1m82
- Left-Winger
3rd : Thierry Henry
- Arsenal FC
- French
- 1m88
- Striker
2003
Winner : Thierry Henry
- Arsenal FC
- French
- 1m88
- Striker
2nd : Paolo Maldini
- AC Milan
- Italian
- 1m87
- Center-Back
3rd : Pavel Nedvěd
- Juventus Turin
- Czech
- 1m77
- Attacking-Midfielder/Left-Midfielder
2002
Winner : Zinédine Zidane
- Real Madrid
- French
- 1m85
- Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Michael Ballack
- Bayer Leverkusen/Bayern Munich
- German
- 1m89
- Attacking-Midfielder/Central-Midfielder/Defensive-Midfielder
3rd : Thierry Henry
- Arsenal FC
- French
- 1m88
- Striker
2001
Winner : Raúl González
- Real Madrid
- Spanish
- 1m80
- False 9
2nd : Oliver Kahn
- Bayern Munich
- German
- 1m88
- Goalkeeper
3rd : Michael Owen
- Liverpool FC
- English
- 1m73
- Striker
2000
Winner : Zinédine Zidane
- Juventus Turin
- French
- 1m85
- Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Luís Figo
- FC Barcelona/Real Madrid
- Portuguese
- 1m80
- Right-Winger
3rd : Thierry Henry
- Arsenal FC
- French
- 1m88
- Left-Winger/Striker
1990s
The Second Best of the Decade
- 1 POTY
- 1x 2nd POTY
- 0x 3rd POTY
The Best of the Decade
- 2 POTY
- 2x 2nd POTY
- 0x 3rd POTY
The Third Best of the Decade
- 1 POTY
- 1x 2nd POTY
- 0x 3rd POTY
1999
Winner : Rivaldo
- FC Barcelona
- Brazilian
- 1m86
- Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : David Beckham
- Manchester United
- English
- 1m83
- Right-Midfielder
3rd : Andriy Shevchenko
- Dynamo Kyiv/AC Milan
- Ukrainian
- 1m83
- Striker
1998
Winner : Zinédine Zidane
- Juventus Turin
- French
- 1m85
- Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Ronaldo Nazário
- Inter Milan
- Brazilian
- 1m83
- Striker
3rd : Davor Šuker
- Real Madrid
- French
- 1m83
- Attacking-Midfielder/Right-Winger
1997
Winner : Ronaldo Nazário
- FC Barcelona/Inter Milan
- Brazilian
- 1m83
- Striker
2nd : Zinédine Zidane
- Juventus Turin
- French
- 1m85
- Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Dennis Bergkamp
- Arsenal FC
- Dutch
- 1m83
- Second Striker
1996
Winner : Ronaldo Nazário
- PSV Eindhoven/FC Barcelona
- Brazilian
- 1m83
- Striker
2nd : Matthias Sammer
- Borussia Dortmund
- German
- 1m80
- Defensive-Midfielder/Libero
3rd : Alan Shearer
- Blackburn Rovers/Newcastle United
- English
- 1m83
- Striker
1995
Winner : Jari Litmanen
- Ajax Amsterdam
- Finnish
- 1m82
- Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Ronaldo Nazário
- PSV Eindhoven
- Brazilian
- 1m83
- Striker
3rd : George Weah
- Paris Saint-Germain/AC Milan
- Liberian
- 1m84
- Striker
1994
Winner : Romário
- FC Barcelona
- Brazilian
- 1m69
- Striker
2nd : Hristo Stoichkov
- FC Barcelona
- Bulgarian
- 1m78
- Left-Winger/Striker/Right-Winger
3rd : Paolo Maldini
- AC Milan
- Italian
- 1m86
- Left-Back
1993
Winner : Roberto Baggio
- Juventus Turin
- Italian
- 1m74
- Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Romário
- PSV Eindhoven/FC Barcelona
- Brazilian
- 1m69
- Striker
3rd : Dennis Bergkamp
- Ajax Amsterdam/Inter Milan
- Dutch
- 1m83
- Second Striker
1992
Winner : Marco Van Basten
- AC Milan
- Dutch
- 1m88
- Striker
2nd : Michael Laudrup
- FC Barcelona
- Danish
- 1m83
- Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Hristo Stoichkov
- FC Barcelona
- Bulgarian
- 1m78
- Left-Winger/Striker
1991
Winner : Lothar Matthäus
- Inter Milan
- German
- 1m74
- Attacking-Midfielder/Defensive-Midfielder
2nd : Jean-Pierre Papin
- Olympique de Marseille
- French
- 1m77
- Striker
3rd : Dejan Savićević
- Red Star Belgrade
- Serbian
- 1m78
- Attacking-Midfielder
1990
Winner : Lothar Matthäus
- Inter Milan
- German
- 1m74
- Defensive-Midfielder/Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Diego Maradona
- Napoli
- Argentinian
- 1m64
- Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Franco Baresi
- AC Milan
- Italian
- 1m76
- Center-Back
1980s
The Second Best of the Decade
- 3 POTY
- 0x 2nd POTY
- 0x 3rd POTY
The Best of the Decade
- 3 POTY
- 3x 2nd POTY
- 2x 3rd POTY
The Third Best of the Decade
- 2 POTY
- 1x 2nd POTY
- 1x 3rd POTY
1989
Winner : Marco Van Basten
- AC Milan
- Dutch
- 1m88
- Striker
2nd: Diego Maradona
- Napoli
- Argentinian
- 1m64
- Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Franco Baresi
- AC Milan
- Italian
- 1m76
- Center-Back
1988
Winner : Diego Maradona
- Napoli
- Argentinian
- 1m64
- Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Marco Van Basten
- AC Milan
- Dutch
- 1m88
- Striker
3rd : Ruud Gullit
- AC Milan
- Dutch
- 1m85
- Second Striker
1987
Winner : Diego Maradona
- Napoli
- Argentinian
- 1m64
- Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Ruud Gullit
- PSV Eindhoven/AC Milan
- Dutch
- 1m85
- Central-Midfielder/Striker/Libero
3rd : Paulo Futre
- FC Porto/Atlético Madrid
- Portuguese
- 1m75
- Left-Winger
1986
Winner : Diego Maradona
- Napoli
- Argentinian
- 1m64
- Attacking-Midfielder
2rd : Igor Belanov
- Dynamo Kyiv
- Ukrainian
- 1m74
- Second Striker
3rd : Aleksandr Zavarov
- Dynamo Kyiv
- Ukrainian
- 1m70
- Attacking-Midfielder
1985
Winner : Michel Platini
- Juventus Turin
- French
- 1m79
- Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Diego Maradona
- Napoli
- Argentinian
- 1m64
- Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Preben Elkjaer-Larsen
- Hellas Verona
- Danish
- 1m82
- Striker
1984
Winner : Michel Platini
- Juventus Turin
- French
- 1m79
- Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Jean Tigana
- Girondins de Bordeaux
- French
- 1m68
- Defensive-Midfielder
3rd : Ian Rush
- Liverpool FC
- Welsh
- 1m80
- Striker
1983
Winner : Michel Platini
- Juventus Turin
- French
- 1m79
- Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Zico
- Flamengo/Udinese
- Brazilian
- 1m72
- Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Diego Maradona
- Napoli
- Argentinian
- 1m64
- Attacking-Midfielder
1982
Winner : Zico
- Flamengo
- Brazilian
- 1m72
- Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Falcão
- AS Roma
- Brazilian
- 1m83
- Central-Midfielder
3rd : Zbigniew Boniek
- Widzew Lodz/Juventus Turin
- Polish
- 1m82
- Attacking-Midfielder
1981
Winner : Zico
- Flamengo
- Brazilian
- 1m72
- Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
- Bayern Munich
- German
- 1m82
- False 9
3rd : Diego Maradona
- Boca Juniors/FC Barcelona
- Argentinian
- 1m64
- Attacking-Midfielder
1980
Winner : Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
- Bayern Munich
- German
- 1m82
- False 9
2nd : Diego Maradona
- Argentinos Juniors/Boca Juniors
- Argentinian
- 1m64
- Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Zico
- Flamengo
- Brazilian
- 1m72
- Attacking-Midfielder
1970s
The Second Best of the Decade
- 1 POTY
- 5x 2nd POTY
- 1x 3rd POTY
The Best of the Decade
- 4 POTY
- 0x 2nd POTY
- 0x 3rd POTY
The Third Best of the Decade
- 1 POTY
- 0x 2nd POTY
- 1x 3rd POTY
1979
Winner : Zico
- Flamengo
- Brazilian
- 1m72
- Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Diego Maradona
- Argentinos Juniors
- Argentinian
- 1m64
- Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Falcão
- AS Roma
- Brazilian
- 1m83
- Central-Midfielder
1978
Winner : Mario Kempes
- Valencia CF
- Argentinian
- 1m82
- Striker
2nd : Rob Rensenbrink
- Anderlecht
- Argentinian/Colombian/Spanish
- 1m80
- Left-Winger
3rd : Hans Krankl
- Rapid Vienna/FC Barcelona
- Austrian
- 1m82
- Striker
1977
Winner : Kevin Keegan
- Liverpool FC/Hamburg FC
- English
- 1m73
- Second Striker/Right-Winger
2nd : Zico
- Flamengo
- Brazilian
- 1m72
- Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Allan Simonsen
- Borussia M’gladbach
- French
- 1m65
- Right-Winger/Second Striker
1976
Winner : Franz Beckenbauer
- Bayern Munich
- German
- 1m81
- Libero
2nd : Elías Figueroa
- Internacional
- Chilean
- 1m85
- Libero/Center-Back
3rd : Rob Rensenbrink
- Anderlecht
- Argentinian/Colombian/Spanish
- 1m80
- Left-Winger
1975
Winner : Oleg Blokhin
- Dynamo Kyiv
- Ukrainian
- 1m80
- Left-Winger/Striker
2nd : Elías Figueroa
- Internacional
- Chilean
- 1m85
- Libero/Center-Back
3rd : Franz Beckenbauer
- Bayern Munich
- German
- 1m81
- Libero
1974
Winner : Johan Cruyff
- FC Barcelona
- Dutch
- 1m79
- False 9
2nd : Franz Beckenbauer
- Bayern Munich
- German
- 1m81
- Libero
3rd : Kazimierz Deyna
- Legia Varsovia
- Polish
- 1m80
- Attacking-Midfielder
1973
Winner : Johan Cruyff
- Ajax Amsterdam/FC Barcelona
- Dutch
- 1m79
- False 9
2nd : Franz Beckenbauer
- Bayern Munich
- German
- 1m81
- Libero
3rd : Dino Zoff
- Juventus Turin
- Italian
- 1m82
- Goalkeeper
1972
Winner : Johan Cruyff
- Ajax Amsterdam
- Dutch
- 1m79
- False 9
2nd : Franz Beckenbauer
- Bayern Munich
- German
- 1m81
- Libero
3rd : Gerd Müller
- Bayern Munich
- German
- 1m76
- Striker
1971
Winner : Johan Cruyff
- Ajax Amsterdam
- Dutch
- 1m79
- False 9
2nd : Franz Beckenbauer
- Bayern Munich
- German
- 1m81
- Libero
3rd : Sandro Mazzola
- Inter Milan
- Italian
- 1m79
- Second Striker
1970
Winner : Gerd Müller
- Bayern Munich
- German
- 1m76
- Striker
2nd : Franz Beckenbauer
- Bayern Munich
- German
- 1m81
- Libero
3rd : Pelé
- Santos FC
- Brazilian
- 1m72
- Attacking-Midfielder/Second Striker
1960s
The Second Best of the Decade
- 0 POTY
- 2x 2nd POTY
- 2x 3rd POTY
The Best of the Decade
- 5 POTY
- 1x 2nd POTY
- 0x 3rd POTY
The Third Best of the Decade
- 0 POTY
- 2x 2nd POTY
- 0x 3rd POTY
1969
Winner : Gianni Rivera
- AC Milan
- Italian
- 1m75
- Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Pelé
- Santos FC
- Brazilian
- 1m72
- Second Striker
3rd : Luigi Riva
- Cagliari
- Italian
- 1m74
- Striker
1968
Winner : George Best
- Manchester United
- Northern Irish
- 1m75
- Right-Winger
2nd : Bobby Charlton
- Manchester United
- English
- 1m73
- Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Eusébio
- Benfica Lisbon
- Portuguese
- 1m75
- Second Striker
1967
Winner : Jimmy Johnstone
- Celtic Glasgow
- Scottish
- 1m62
- Right-Winger
2nd : Florian Albert
- Ferencváros
- Hungarian
- 1m81
- False 9
3rd : Bobby Charlton
- Manchester United
- English
- 1m73
- Attacking-Midfielder
1966
Winner : Bobby Charlton
- Manchester United
- English
- 1m73
- Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Eusébio
- Benfica Lisbon
- Portuguese
- 1m75
- Second Striker
3rd : Franz Beckenbauer
- Bayern Munich
- German
- 1m81
- Central-Midfielder
1965
Winner : Pelé
- Santos FC
- Brazilian
- 1m72
- Second Striker
2nd : Eusébio
- Benfica Lisbon
- Portuguese
- 1m75
- Second Striker
3rd : Luis Suárez
- Inter Milan
- Spanish
- 1m78
- Attacking-Midfielder
1964
Winner : Pelé
- Santos FC
- Brazilian
- 1m72
- Second Striker
2nd : Luis Suárez
- Inter Milan
- Spanish
- 1m78
- Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Eusébio
- Benfica Lisbon
- Portuguese
- 1m75
- Second Striker
1963
Winner : Pelé
- Santos FC
- Brazilian
- 1m72
- Second Striker
2nd : Lev Yashin
- Dynamo Moscow
- Russian
- 1m89
- Goalkeeper
3rd : Gianni Rivera
- AC Milan
- Italian
- 1m75
- Attacking-Midfielder
1962
Winner : Pelé
- Santos FC
- Brazilian
- 1m72
- Second Striker
2nd : Garrincha
- Botafogo
- Brazilian
- 1m69
- Right-Winger
3rd : Josef Masopust
- Dukla Prague
- Czechoslovak
- 1m77
- Central-Midfielder/Defensive-Midfielder
1961
Winner : Pelé
- Santos FC
- Brazilian
- 1m72
- Second Striker
2nd : Omar Sívori
- Juventus Turin
- Argentinian
- 1m63
- Second Striker
3rd : Garrincha
- Botafogo
- Brazilian
- 1m69
- Right-Winger
1960
Winner : Ferenc Puskás
- Real Madrid
- Hungarian
- 1m72
- False 9
2nd : Lev Yashin
- Dynamo Moscow
- Russian
- 1m89
- Goalkeeper
3rd : Luis Suárez
- FC Barcelona
- Spanish
- 1m78
- Attacking-Midfielder
1950s
The Second Best of the Decade
- 1 POTY
- 2x 2nd POTY
- 0x 3rd POTY
The Best of the Decade
- 3 POTY
- 2x 2nd POTY
- 0x 3rd POTY
The Third Best of the Decade
- 0 POTY
- 3x 2nd POTY
- 3x 3rd POTY
1959
Winner : Pelé
- Santos FC
- Brazilian
- 1m72
- Second Striker
2nd : Alfredo Di Stéfano
- Real Madrid
- Argentinian/Colombian/Spanish
- 1m78
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder/Striker
3rd : Raymond Kopa
- Real Madrid/Stade de Reims
- French
- 1m68
- Right-Winger/Attacking-Midfielder
1958
Winner : Pelé
- Santos FC
- Brazilian
- 1m72
- Second Striker
2nd : Raymond Kopa
- Real Madrid/Stade de Reims
- French
- 1m68
- Right-Winger/Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Didi
- Botafogo
- Brazilian
- 1m71
- Central-Midfielder
1957
Winner : Alfredo Di Stéfano
- Real Madrid
- Argentinian/Colombian/Spanish
- 1m78
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder/Striker
2nd : Raymond Kopa
- Real Madrid
- French
- 1m68
- Right-Winger/Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Duncan Edwards
- Manchester United
- English
- 1m80
- Left-Midfielder/Defensive-Midfielder
1956
Winner : Alfredo Di Stéfano
- Real Madrid
- Argentinian/Colombian/Spanish
- 1m78
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder/Striker
2nd : Raymond Kopa
- Stade de Reims/Real Madrid
- French
- 1m68
- Right-Winger/Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Juan Alberto Schiaffino
- AC Milan
- Uruguayan
- 1m85
- Attacking-Midfielder
1955
Winner : Alfredo Di Stéfano
- Real Madrid
- Argentinian/Colombian/Spanish
- 1m78
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder/Striker
2nd : Juan Alberto Schiaffino
- AC Milan
- Uruguayan
- 1m85
- Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Raymond Kopa
- Stade de Reims
- French
- 1m68
- Attacking-Midfielder/Right-Winger
1954
Winner : Sándor Kocsis
- Budapest Honved
- Hungarian
- 1m81
- Striker
2nd : Alfredo Di Stéfano
- Real Madrid
- Argentinian/Colombian/Spanish
- 1m78
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder/Striker
3rd : Fritz Walter
- Kaiserslautern
- German
- 1m75
- Attacking-Midfielder
1953
Winner : Nándor Hidegkuti
- MTK Budapest
- Hungarian
- 1m79
- False 9/Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Ferenc Puskás
- Budapest Honved
- Hungarian
- 1m72
- Second Striker
3rd : Raymond Kopa
- Stade de Reims
- French
- 1m68
- Attacking-Midfielder/Right-Winger
1952
Winner : Ferenc Puskás
- Budapest Honved
- Hungarian
- 1m72
- Second Striker
2nd : László Kubala
- FC Barcelona
- Hungarian/Czechoslovak/Spanish
- 1m76
- Second Striker
3rd : Sándor Kocsis
- Budapest Honved
- Hungarian
- 1m81
- Striker
1951
Winner : Nils Liedholm
- AC Milan
- Swedish
- 1m82
- Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Gunnar Nordahl
- AC Milan
- Swedish
- 1m82
- Striker
3rd : Ernst Ocwirk
- Sampdoria Genoa/Austria Vienna
- Austrian
- 1m83
- Defensive-Midfielder
1950
Winner : Ademir De Menezes
- Vasco de Gama
- Brazilian
- 1m78
- Striker
2nd : Ferenc Puskás
- Budapest Honved
- Hungarian
- 1m72
- Second Striker
3rd : Zizinho
- Flamengo/Bangu
- Brazilian
- 1m72
- Attacking-Midfielder/Right-Winger
1940s
The Second Best of the Decade
- 2 POTY
- 0x 2nd POTY
- 0x 3rd POTY
The Best of the Decade
- 2 POTY
- 1x 2nd POTY
- 1x 3rd POTY
The Third Best of the Decade
- 1 POTY
- 1x 2nd POTY
- 0x 3rd POTY
1949
Winner : Ademir De Menezes
- Vasco de Gama
- Brazilian
- 1m78
- Striker
2nd : Ferenc Puskás
- Budapest Honved
- Hungarian
- 1m72
- Second Striker
3rd : Ferenc Deák
- Ferencváros
- Hungarian
- 1m80
- Striker
1948
Winner : Ferenc Puskás
- Budapest Honved
- Hungarian
- 1m72
- Second Striker
2nd : Stanley Matthews
- Blackpool FC
- English
- 1m74
- Right-Winger
3rd : Valentino Mazzola
- Torino FC
- Italian
- 1m70
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder
1947
Winner : Alfredo Di Stéfano
- River Plate
- Argentinian/Colombian/Spanish
- 1m78
- Striker
2nd : Valentino Mazzola
- Torino FC
- Italian
- 1m70
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : José Manuel Moreno
- River Plate
- Argentinian
- 1m78
- Attacking-Midfielder
1946
Winner : Ferenc Deák
- Szentlőrinci AC
- Hungarian
- 1m80
- Striker
2nd : René Pontoni
- San Lorenzo
- Argentinian
- 1m75
- Striker
3rd : Rinaldo Martino
- San Lorenzo
- Argentinian
- 1m71
- Second Striker
1945
Winner : Adolfo Pedernera
- River Plate
- Argentinian
- 1m75
- False 9
2nd : Ángel Labruna
- River Plate
- Argentinian
- 1m75
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Domingos Da Guia
- Corinthians
- Brazilian
- 1m85
- Center-Back
1944
Winner : Zizinho
- Flamengo
- Brazilian
- 1m72
- Attacking-Midfielder/Right-Winger
2nd : Ángel Labruna
- River Plate
- Argentinian
- 1m75
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Antonio Sastre
- São Paulo
- Argentinian
- 1m77
- Attacking-Midfielder/Central-Midfielder
1943
Winner : Zizinho
- Flamengo
- Brazilian
- 1m72
- Attacking-Midfielder/Right-Winger
2nd : Antonio Sastre
- São Paulo
- Argentinian
- 1m77
- Attacking-Midfielder/Central-Midfielder
3rd : Severino Varela
- Boca Juniors
- Argentinian
- 1m72
- Striker
1942
Winner : José Manuel Moreno
- River Plate
- Argentinian
- 1m78
- Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Adolfo Pedernera
- River Plate
- Argentinian
- 1m75
- False 9
3rd : Obdulio Varela
- Montevideo Wanderers
- Uruguayan
- 1m78
- Defensive-Midfielder
1941
Winner : José Manuel Moreno
- River Plate
- Argentinian
- 1m78
- Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Atilio García
- Nacional Montevideo
- Uruguayan
- 1m75
- Striker
3rd : José Canteli
- Newell's Old Boys
- Argentinian
- /
- Striker
1940
Winner : Leônidas Da Silva
- Flamengo
- Brazilian
- 1m73
- Striker
2nd : José Manuel Moreno
- River Plate
- Argentinian
- 1m78
- Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Isidro Lángara
- San Lorenzo
- Spanish
- 1m77
- Striker
1930s
The Second Best of the Decade
- 2 POTY
- 2x 2nd POTY
- 0x 3rd POTY
The Best of the Decade
- 2 POTY
- 2x 2nd POTY
- 1x 3rd POTY
The Third Best of the Decade
- 2 POTY
- 0x 2nd POTY
- 1x 3rd POTY
1939
Winner : Gyula Zsengellér
- Ujpest FC
- Hungarian
- 1m77
- Striker
2nd : Arsenio Erico
- Independiente
- Paraguayan
- 1m83
- Striker
3rd : Tommy Lawton
- Everton FC
- English
- 1m80
- Striker
1938
Winner : György Sárosi
- Ferencváros
- Hungarian
- 1m86
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Arsenio Erico
- Independiente
- Paraguayan
- 1m83
- Striker
3rd : Leônidas Da Silva
- Flamengo
- Brazilian
- 1m73
- Striker
1937
Winner : György Sárosi
- Ferencváros
- Hungarian
- 1m86
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Arsenio Erico
- Independiente
- Paraguayan
- 1m83
- Striker
3rd : José Manuel Moreno
- River Plate
- Argentinian
- 1m78
- Attacking-Midfielder
1936
Winner : Matthias Sindelar
- Austria Vienna
- Austrian
- 1m75
- Attacking-Midfielder/Second Striker
2nd : György Sárosi
- Ferencváros
- Hungarian
- 1m86
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Giuseppe Meazza
- Inter Milan
- Italian
- 1m69
- Striker/Second Striker
1935
Winner : Ted Drake
- Arsenal FC
- English
- 1m78
- Striker
2nd : György Sárosi
- Ferencváros
- Hungarian
- 1m86
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Raymond Braine
- Sparta Prague
- Belgian
- 1m75
- Striker
1934
Winner : Giuseppe Meazza
- Inter Milan
- Italian
- 1m69
- Second Striker/Striker
Winner : Matthias Sindelar
- Austria Vienna
- Austrian
- 1m75
- Attacking-Midfielder/Second Striker
3rd : Felice Borel
- Juventus Turin
- Italian
- 1m75
- Striker
1933
Winner : Alex James
- Arsenal FC
- Scottish
- 1m53
- Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Matthias Sindelar
- Austria Vienna
- Austrian
- 1m75
- Attacking-Midfielder/Second Striker
3rd : György Sárosi
- Ferencváros
- Hungarian
- 1m86
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder
1932
Winner : Matthias Sindelar
- Austria Vienna
- Austrian
- 1m75
- Attacking-Midfielder/Second Striker
2nd : Alex James
- Arsenal FC
- Scottish
- 1m53
- Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Dixie Dean
- Everton FC
- English
- 1m78
- Striker
1931
Winner : Raimundo Orsi
- Juventus Turin
- Italian
- 1m68
- Leftt-Winger
2nd : Alex James
- Arsenal FC
- Scottish
- 1m53
- Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Tom Waring
- Aston Villa
- English
- 1m87
- Striker
1930
Winner : Giuseppe Meazza
- Inter Milan
- Italian
- 1m69
- Second Striker/Striker
2nd : José Nasazzi
- Bella Vista
- Uruguayan
- 1m82
- Center-Back
3rd : José Andrade
- Nacional Montevideo
- Uruguayan
- 1m79
- Defensive-Midfielder
1920s
The Second Best of the Decade
- 0 POTY
- 1x 2nd POTY
- 2x 3rd POTY
The Best of the Decade
- 3 POTY
- 0x 2nd POTY
- 0x 3rd POTY
The Third Best of the Decade
- 1 POTY
- 2x 2nd POTY
- 0x 3rd POTY
1929
Winner : Alan Morton
- Rangers
- Scottish
- 1m63
- Letf-Winger
2nd : Ricardo Zamora
- Real Madrid
- Spanish
- 1m94
- Goalkeeper
3rd : Dave Halliday
- Sunderland
- Scottish
- /
- Striker
1928
Winner : Dixie Dean
- Everton FC
- English
- 1m78
- Striker
2nd : Jimmy McGrory
- Celtic Glasgow
- Scottish
- 1m70
- Striker
3rd : Domingo Tarasconi
- Boca Juniors
- Argentinian
- 1m75
- Striker
1927
Winner : Hughie Gallacher
- Newcastle United
- Scottish
- 1m65
- Striker
2nd : Jimmy McGrory
- Celtic Glasgow
- Scottish
- 1m70
- Striker
3rd : Dixie Dean
- Everton FC
- English
- 1m78
- Striker
1926
Winner : José Leandro Andrade
- Nacional Montevideo
- Uruguayan
- 1m79
- Defensive-Midfielder
2nd : Alex Jackson
- Huddersfield Town
- Scottish
- 1m70
- Right-Winger
3rd : Héctor Scarone
- Nacional Montevideo/FC Barcelona
- Uruguayan
- 1m73
- Attacking-Midfielder/Second Striker
1925
Winner : Josep Samitier
- FC Barcelona
- Spanish
- 1m70
- Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Héctor Scarone
- Nacional Montevideo
- Uruguayan
- 1m73
- Attacking-Midfielder/Second Striker
3rd : Manuel Seoane
- El Porvenir/Boca Juniors
- Argentinian
- /
- Striker
1924
Winner : José Leandro Andrade
- Nacional Montevideo
- Uruguayan
- 1m79
- Defensive-Midfielder
2nd : Pedro Petrone
- Nacional Montevideo
- Uruguayan
- 1m73
- Striker
3rd : Héctor Scarone
- Nacional Montevideo
- Uruguayan
- 1m73
- Attacking-Midfielder/Second Striker
1923
Winner : José Leandro Andrade
- Bella Vista
- Uruguayan
- 1m79
- Defensive-Midfielder
2nd : Charlie Buchan
- Sunderland
- English
- 1m85
- Striker
3rd : José Nasazzi
- Bella Vista
- Uruguayan
- 1m82
- Right-Back/Center-Back
1922
Winner : Manuel Seoane
- Independiente/Progresista
- Argentinian
- /
- Striker
2nd : György Orth
- MTK Budapest
- Hungarian
- 1m75
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder/Right-Winger
3rd : Paulino Alcántara
- FC Barcelona
- Filipino/Spanish
- 1m70
- Striker
1921
Winner : György Orth
- MTK Budapest
- Hungarian
- 1m75
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder/Right-Winger
2nd : Karel Pešek
- Sparta Prague
- Czechoslovakian
- /
- Defensive-Midfielder
3rd : Ángel Romano
- Nacional Montevideo
- Uruguayan
- /
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder
1920
Winner : Ángel Romano
- Nacional Montevideo
- Uruguayan
- /
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : György Orth
- MTK Budapest
- Hungarian
- 1m75
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder/Right-Winger
3rd : Paulino Alcántara
- FC Barcelona
- Filipino/Spanish
- 1m70
- Striker
1910s
The Second Best of the Decade
- 3 POTY
- 0x 2nd POTY
- 0x 3rd POTY
The Best of the Decade
- 3 POTY
- 2x 2nd POTY
- 0x 3rd POTY
The Third Best of the Decade
- 2 POTY
- 0x 2nd POTY
- 0x 3rd POTY
1919
Winner : Alfréd Schaffer
- MTK Budapest/1. FC Nuremberg
- Hungary
- 1m84
- Second Striker/Striker
2nd : Arthur Friendenreich
- Club Atletico Paulistano
- Brazilian
- 1m78
- Striker
3rd : Manuel Varela
- Nacional Montevideo
- Uruguayan
- /
- Defensive-Midfielder
1918
Winner : Alfréd Schaffer
- MTK Budapest
- Hungary
- 1m84
- SecondStriker/Striker
2nd : Imre Schlosser
- MTK Budapest
- Hungarian
- /
- Striker
3rd : György Orth
- MTK Budapest
- Hungarian
- 1m75
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder/Right-Winger
1917
Winner : Imre Schlosser
- MTK Budapest
- Hungarian
- /
- Striker
2nd : Héctor Scarone
- Nacional Montevideo
- Uruguayan
- 1m73
- Attacking-Midfielder/Second Striker
3rd : György Orth
- MTK Budapest
- Hungarian
- 1m75
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder/Right-Winger
1916
Winner : Patsy Gallacher
- Celtic Glasgow
- Irish
- 1m74
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder/Right-Winger
2nd : Jimmy McColl
- Celtic Glasgow
- Scottish
- /
- Striker
3rd : Isabelino Gradín
- CA Peñarol
- Uruguayan
- /
- Second Striker/Left-Winger
1915
Winner : Patsy Gallacher
- Celtic Glasgow
- Irish
- 1m74
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder/Right-Winger
2nd : Jimmy McMenemy
- Celtic Glasgow
- Scottish
- /
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Bobby Parker
- Everton FC
- Scottish
- 1m73
- Striker
1914
Winner : Patsy Gallacher
- Celtic Glasgow
- Irish
- 1m74
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder/Right-Winger
2nd : Jimmy McMenemy
- Celtic Glasgow
- Scottish
- /
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Bob Crompton
- Blackburn Rovers
- England
- /
- Right-Back/Center-Back
1913
Winner : Charlie Buchan
- Sunderland
- English
- 1m85
- Striker
2nd : Imre Schlosser
- Ferencváros
- Hungarian
- /
- Striker
3rd : Abdón Porte
- Nacional Montevideo
- Uruguyan
- /
- Defensive-Midfielder
1912
Winner : Imre Schlosser
- Ferencváros
- Hungarian
- /
- Striker
2nd : Bob Crompton
- Blackburn Rovers
- England
- /
- Right-Back/Center-Back
3rd : Willie Reid
- Rangers
- Scottish
- 1m74
- Striker
1911
Winner : Imre Schlosser
- Ferencváros
- Hungarian
- /
- Striker
2nd : Billy Meredith
- Manchester United
- Welsh
- 1m75
- Right-Winger
3rd : Charlie Roberts
- Manchester United
- English
- 1m83
- Defensive-Midfielder
1910
Winner : Jimmy McMenemy
- Celtic Glasgow
- Scottish
- /
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Harry Hampton
- Aston Villa
- English
- 1m74
- Striker
3rd : Jock Simpson
- Falkirk FC
- Scottish
- /
- Striker
1900s
The Second Best of the Decade
- 1 POTY
- 1x 2nd POTY
- 0x 3rd POTY
The Best of the Decade
- 3 POTY
- 1x 2nd POTY
- 0x 3rd POTY
The Third Best of the Decade
- 1 POTY
- 0x 2nd POTY
- 1x 3rd POTY
1909
Winner : Vivian Woodward
- Tottenham Hotspur/Chelsea FC
- English
- /
- Striker
2nd : Bert Freeman
- Everton FC
- English
- 1m73
- Striker
3rd : Charlie Roberts
- Manchester United
- English
- 1m83
- Defensive-Midfielder
1908
Winner : Billy Meredith
- Manchester United
- Welsh
- 1m75
- Right-Winger
2nd : Sandy Turnbull
- Manchester United
- English
- /
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Vivian Woodward
- Tottenham Hotspur/Chelsea FC
- English
- /
- Striker
1907
Winner : Billy Meredith
- Manchester United
- Welsh
- 1m75
- Right-Winger
2nd : Jimmy Quinn
- Celtic Glasgow
- Scottish
- 1m74
- Striker
3rd : Alexander Young
- Everton FC
- Scottish
- 1m74
- Striker
1906
Winner : Alex Raisbeck
- Liverpool FC
- Scottish
- 1m78
- Center-Back
2nd : Albert Shepherd
- Bolton Wanderers
- English
- /
- Striker
3rd : Walter White
- Bolton Wanderers
- Scottish
- 1m71
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder
1905
Winner : Colin Veitch
- Newcastle United
- English
- 1m70
- Attacking-Midfielder/Defensive-Midfielder
2nd : Billy Meredith
- Manchester United
- Welsh
- 1m75
- Right-Winger
3rd : Arthur Brown
- Sheffield United
- English
- 1m75
- Striker
1904
Winner : Billy Meredith
- Manchester United
- Welsh
- 1m75
- Right-Winger
2nd : Steve Bloomer
- Derby County
- English
- 1m73
- Striker
3rd : Robert Hamilton
- Rangers
- Scottish
- /
- Striker
1903
Winner : Bobby Walker
- Heart of Midlothian
- Scottish
- 1m73
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder
2nd : Sam Raybould
- Liverpool FC
- English
- /
- Striker
3rd : Alex Raisbeck
- Liverpool FC
- Scottish
- 1m78
- Center-Back
1902
Winner : Ned Doig
- Blackburn Rovers
- Scottish
- 1m75
- Goalkeeper
2nd : Bob Crompton
- Blackburn Rovers
- England
- /
- Right-Back/Center-Back
3rd : William Foulke
- Sheffield United
- English
- 1m93
- Goalkeeper
1901
Winner : Steve Bloomer
- Derby County
- English
- 1m73
- Striker
2nd : Bobby Walker
- Heart of Midlothian
- Scottish
- 1m73
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder
3rd : Robert Hamilton
- Rangers
- Scottish
- /
- Striker
1900
Winner : Alex Smith
- Rangers
- Scottish
- 1m73
- Left-Winger
2nd : Steve Bloomer
- Derby County
- English
- 1m73
- Striker
3rd : Robert McColl
- Queen's Park FC
- Scottish
- /
- Second Striker/Attacking-Midfielder