The shifting lineage of football's most prestigious individual honors
In short: While fans focus on modern trophies, the title of world's best player has undergone a complex evolution. From short-lived awards in the late 1980s to the era of the FIFA Ballon d'Or, the mechanisms used to crown footballing royalty have changed significantly over the decades.
The International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) has played a central role in documenting footballing excellence. Their 'World's Best Player' award originally ran annually from 1988 to 1990. Following this initial period, a different distinction, known as the 'FIFA World Player of the Year,' was maintained from 1991 until 2009. This lineage of recognition continued through the FIFA Ballon d'Or, which emerged in 2010, and eventually transitioned into the current 'The Best FIFA Men's Player' format in 2016. The IFFHS continues to present its World's Best Player award annually, a tradition that has been reinstated since 2020.
The IFFHS has also looked backward to curate historical greatness. In November 2021, the organization announced a 'Dream Team of the 19th Century,' identifying the top three players from that era. They also established specific honors for different eras and regions, such as the Best European Player award. Interestingly, on 24 April 1990—just before the 1990 FIFA World Cup—the IFFHS issued an award for the best European player by analyzing the France Football Ballon d'Or shortlists spanning from 1956 to 1989. Beyond these retrospective honors, the organization also tracks the IFFHS World's Best International Goal Scorer. This broader scope allows them to celebrate specific scoring feats alongside overall player excellence.
The organization's efforts extend to the women's game as well, including the selection of the World's Best Woman Player of the Century for the period between 1901 and 2000. For certain honors, the IFFHS utilized a voting system involving both journalists and former players to determine the winners, though the specific granular details of those voting processes are not fully documented in their historical records. The IFFHS also recognized the decade of 2011 through 2020 by naming the Best Man Player of the Decade. Their historical archives also include specific recognitions for the Best European Player during the period from 1956 to 1990.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: IFFHS World's Best Player
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/history-iffhs-world-s-best-player.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Born on this day · More in History · Latest · A–Z · All topics
