Who has won the UEFA Men's Player of the Year award?
Monday, August 19, 2019
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UEFA.com looks back over all the previous editions of the competition, with facts, statistics and photos.
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The UEFA Men's Player of the Year award will be handed out for the ninth time in Monaco; UEFA.com looks back at the winners, runners-up and nominees from past editions.
Statistics
UEFA Men's Player of the Season winners
3: Cristiano Ronaldo: (2014, 2016, 2017)
2: Lionel Messi (2011, 2015)
1= Andrés Iniesta (2012), Luka Modrić (2018), Franck Ribéry (2013)
Candidates shortlisted for UEFA Men's Player of the Year
9: Cristiano Ronaldo (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
6: Lionel Messi (2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019)
1= Gareth Bale (2016), Gianluigi Buffon (2017), Antoine Griezmann (2016), Xavi Hernández (2011), Andrés Iniesta (2012), Luka Modrić (2018), Manuel Neuer (2014), Franck Ribéry (2013), Arjen Robben (2014), Mohamed Salah (2018), Luis Suárez (2015), Virgil van Dijk (2019)
Candidates nominated for UEFA Men's Player of the Year
9= Lionel Messi (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019), Cristiano Ronaldo (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
3= Gianluigi Buffon (2015, 2016, 2017), Eden Hazard (2015, 2018, 2019), Zlatan Ibrahimović (2011, 2013, 2017), Thomas Müller (2013, 2014, 2016), Manuel Neuer (2011, 2014, 2016), Luis Suárez (2014, 2015, 2016)
2= Gareth Bale (2013, 2016), Radamel Falcao (2011, 2012), Antoine Griezmann (2016, 2018), Xavi Hernández (2011, 2012), Andrés Iniesta (2011, 2012), Toni Kroos (2016, 2017), Robert Lewandowski (2013, 2017), Kylian Mbappé (2017, 2018), Luka Modrić (2017, 2018), Andrea Pirlo (2012, 2015), Sergio Ramos (2017, 2018), Arjen Robben (2013, 2014), Mohamed Salah (2018, 2019)
1= Alisson Becker (2019), Iker Casillas (2012), Petr Čech (2012), Kevin De Bruyne (2018), Frenkie de Jong (2019), Matthijs de Ligt (2019), Diego Costa (2014), Ángel Di María (2014), Didier Drogba (2012), Paulo Dybala (2017), Philipp Lahm (2014), Sadio Mané (2019), Neymar (2015), Mesut Özil (2012), Pepe (2016), Gerard Piqué (2011), Paul Pogba (2015), Franck Ribéry (2013), James Rodríguez (2014), Wayne Rooney (2011), Bastian Schweinsteiger (2013), Raheem Sterling (2019), Carlos Tévez (2015), Virgil van Dijk (2019), Robin van Persie (2013), Raphaël Varane (2018), Arturo Vidal (2015), Nemanja Vidić (2011)
- Ronaldo and Messi both won the prize in its previous incarnation as the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year, so technically have four and three UEFA titles respectively. They are the only players to have won either award more than once.
- Messi and Ronaldo have been nominated in every edition of the UEFA Men's Player of the Year so far, and Ronaldo has also been shortlisted in every edition.
- Real Madrid lead Barcelona 4-3 in terms of winners in the first eight editions of the competition; Bayern (with Franck Ribéry) are the only other club to boast a UEFA Men's Player of the Year.
- Aside from Messi and Ronaldo, no player has been shortlisted more than once.
- Gianluigi Buffon, Eden Hazard, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Thomas Müller, Manuel Neuer and Luis Suárez have been nominated three times each, but just one of them (Neuer) made it as far as the shortlist.
- Uniquely, Ibrahimović was nominated with three clubs: AC Milan in 2011, Paris in 2013 and Manchester United in 2017.
- The prize was initially known as the UEFA Best Player in Europe award, changing to its current name from the 2017 edition.
Past editions
2018/19 UEFA Men's Player of the Year
Winner: TBC
Shortlisted: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Other nominees: Alisson Becker (Liverpool), Frenkie de Jong (Ajax), Matthijs de Ligt (Ajax), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Sadio Mané (Liverpool), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
2017/18 UEFA Men's Player of the Year
Winner: Luka Modrić (Real Madrid)
Runners-up: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Other nominees: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Antoine Griezmann (Atlético), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Kylian Mbappé (Paris), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid). Raphaël Varane (Real Madrid)
2016/17 UEFA Men's Player of the Year
Winner: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
Runners-up: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Other nominees: Paulo Dybala (Juventus), Zlatan Ibrahimović (Manchester United), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern München), Kylian Mbappé (Paris), Luka Modrić (Real Madrid), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)
2015/16 UEFA Men's Player of the Year
Winner: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
Runners-up: Gareth Bale (Real Madrid), Antoine Griezmann (Atlético)
Other nominees: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Thomas Müller (Bayern München), Manuel Neuer (Bayern München), Pepe (Real Madrid), Luis Suárez (Barcelona)
2014/15 UEFA Men's Player of the Year
Winner: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Runners-up: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Luis Suárez (Barcelona)
Other nominees: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Neymar (Barcelona), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus), Paul Pogba (Juventus), Carlos Tévez (Juventus), Arturo Vidal (Juventus)
2013/14 UEFA Men's Player of the Year
Winner: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
Runners-up: Manuel Neuer (Bayern München), Arjen Robben (Bayern München)
Other nominees: Ángel di María (Real Madrid), Diego Costa (Atlético), Philipp Lahm (Bayern München), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Thomas Müller (Bayern München), James Rodríguez (Monaco), Luis Suárez (Liverpool)
2012/13 UEFA Men's Player of the Year
Winner: Franck Ribéry (Bayern München)
Runners-up: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
Other nominees: Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur), Zlatan Ibrahimović (Paris), Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund), Thomas Müller (Bayern München), Arjen Robben (Bayern München), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern München), Robin van Persie (Manchester United)
2011/12 UEFA Men's Player of the Year
Winner: Andrés Iniesta (Barcelona)
Runners-up: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
Other nominees: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Petr Čech (Chelsea), Didier Drogba (Chelsea), Radamel Falcao (Atlético), Xavi Hernández (Barcelona), Mesut Özil (Real Madrid), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)
2010/11 UEFA Men's Player of the Year
Winner: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Runners-up: Xavi Hernández (Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
Other nominees: Radamel Falcao (Porto), Zlatan Ibrahimović (AC Milan), Andrés Iniesta (Barcelona), Manuel Neuer (Schalke), Gerard Piqué (Barcelona), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Nemanja Vidić (Manchester United)
The UEFA Men's Player of the Year award replaced the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year prize, which was awarded from 1998–2010. The winners were as follows:
2009/10: Diego Milito (Internazionale)
2008/09: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
2007/08: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
2006/07: Kaká (AC Milan)
2005/06: Ronaldinho (Barcelona)
2004/05: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
2003/04: Deco (Porto)
2002/03: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus)
2001/02: Zinédine Zidane (Real Madrid)
2000/01: Stefan Effenberg (Bayern München)
1999/2000: Fernando Redondo (Real Madrid)
1998/99: David Beckham (Manchester United)
1997/98: Ronaldo (Internazionale)