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Player of the year 2008 Men's

  • CRISTIANO RONALDO

    The Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo was rewarded for his phenomenal 2008 with his first FIFA World Player of the Year award.

Player of the year 2008 Women's

  • MARTA

    Brazilian maestro Marta picked up her third FIFA Women's World Player of the Year award for a breathtaking 2008.

News

  • Black Eagles versus Yellow Canaries

    Black Eagles versus Yellow Canaries

    As Besiktas and Fenerbahce prepare to engage in battle again, FIFA.com looks into the history of the fixture between teams from different continents.

Photos

  • Brazilian midfielder Marta smiles with her FIFA women's world footballer of the year 2008 award
  • Portuguese football player Cristiano Ronaldo poses after receiving FIFA world Footballer of the Year 2008 award
  • The FIFA Fair Play Award went to the President and team captain of the Turkish Football Association, Mahmut Özgener and Tuncay Sanli respectively, as well as their counterparts at the Football Federation of Armenia
  • The FIFA Fair Play Award for 2008 has gone to the FAs of Armenia and Turkey for their part in encouraging dialogue between two countries
  • The FIFA Fair Play Award for 2008 has gone to the FAs of Armenia and Turkey for their part in encouraging dialogue between two countries
  • Brazilian striker Marta (L) and Portuguese midfielder Cristiano Ronaldo (R) pose with FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter during FIFA's World Football Player Gala 2008
  • FIFA world Footballer of the Year 2008, Brazil's Marta (BottomR) and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo (R) pose
  • Brazilian striker Marta (L) and Portuguese midfielder Cristiano Ronaldo (R) pose with FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter during FIFA's World Football Player Gala 2008

Previous Editions

FIFA World Player GALA 2007

  • Player of the year:

    KAKA (BRA)

  • Player of the year:

    MARTA (BRA)

  • FIFA Presidential award:

    PELE (BRA)

  • FIFA Fair Play Award:

    FC Barcelona

FIFA World Player GALA 2006

  • Player of the year:

    Fabio CANNAVARO (ITA)

  • Player of the year:

    MARTA (BRA)

  • FIFA Presidential award:

    Giacinto FACCHETTI (ITA)

  • FIFA Fair Play Award:

    Brazil, Spain

  • Top Team of the Year Award:

    Brazil

  • Best Mover of the Year:

    Italy

  • FIFA Interactive World Player:

    Andries Smit

FIFA World Player GALA 2005

  • Player of the year:

    RONALDINHO (BRA)

  • Player of the year:

    Birgit PRINZ (GER)

  • FIFA Presidential award:

    FRISK Anders (SWE)

  • FIFA Fair Play Award:

    football community of Iquitos (Peru)

  • Top Team of the Year Award:

    Brazil

  • Best Mover of the Year:

    Ghana

  • FIFA Interactive World Player:

    Chris Bullard

FIFA World Player GALA 2004

  • Player of the year:

    RONALDINHO (BRA)

  • Player of the year:

    Birgit PRINZ (GER)

  • FIFA Presidential award:

    Haiti

  • FIFA Fair Play Award:

    Confederaçao Brasileira de Futebol

  • Top Team of the Year Award:

    Brazil

  • Best Mover of the Year:

    China PR

  • FIFA Interactive World Player:

    Thiago Carrico de Azevedo

FIFA World Player GALA 2003

  • Player of the year:

    Zinedine ZIDANE (FRA)

  • Player of the year:

    Birgit PRINZ (GER)

  • FIFA Presidential award:

    The Iraqi Football Community

  • FIFA Fair Play Award:

    Fans of Glasgow Celtic FC (SCO)

  • Top Team of the Year Award:

    Brazil

  • Best Mover of the Year:

    Bahrain

FIFA World Player GALA 2002

  • Player of the year:

    RONALDO (BRA)

  • Player of the year:

    Mia HAMM (USA)

  • FIFA Presidential award:

    Parminder Nagra (ENG)

  • FIFA Fair Play Award:

    Football communities of Japan and Korea Republic

  • Top Team of the Year Award:

    Brazil

  • Best Mover of the Year:

    Senegal

FIFA World Player GALA 2001

  • Player of the year:

    LUIS FIGO (POR)

  • Player of the year:

    Mia HAMM (USA)

  • FIFA Presidential award:

    Marvin Lee (TRI)

  • Top Team of the Year Award:

    Honduras

  • Best Mover of the Year:

    Costa Rica

FIFA World Player GALA 2000

  • Player of the year:

    Zinedine ZIDANE (FRA)

  • FIFA Fair Play Award:

    Lucas RADEBE (RSA)

  • Top Team of the Year Award:

    Netherlands

  • Best Mover of the Year:

    Nigeria

FIFA World Player GALA 1999

  • Player of the year:

    RIVALDO (BRA)

  • FIFA Fair Play Award:

    New Zealand’s football community

  • Top Team of the Year Award:

    Brazil

  • Best Mover of the Year:

    Slovenia

FIFA World Player GALA 1998

  • Player of the year:

    Zinedine ZIDANE (FRA)

  • FIFA Fair Play Award:

    The national associations of Iran, the USA and Northern Ireland

  • Top Team of the Year Award:

    Brazil

  • Best Mover of the Year:

    Croatia

FIFA World Player GALA 1997

  • Player of the year:

    RONALDO (BRA)

  • FIFA Fair Play Award:

    Irish spectators of the World Cup preliminary match versus Belgium, Jozef Zovinec (Slovak amateur player), Julie FOUDY (USA)

  • Top Team of the Year Award:

    Brazil

  • Best Mover of the Year:

    Yugoslavia

FIFA World Player GALA 1996

  • Player of the year:

    RONALDO (BRA)

  • FIFA Fair Play Award:

    George WEAH (LBR)

  • Top Team of the Year Award:

    Brazil

  • Best Mover of the Year:

    South Africa

FIFA World Player GALA 1995

  • Player of the year:

    George WEAH (LBR)

  • FIFA Fair Play Award:

    Jacques Glassmann (FRA)

  • Top Team of the Year Award:

    Brazil

  • Best Mover of the Year:

    Jamaica

FIFA World Player GALA 1994

  • Player of the year:

    ROMARIO (BRA)

  • Top Team of the Year Award:

    Brazil

  • Best Mover of the Year:

    Croatia

FIFA World Player GALA 1993

  • Player of the year:

    Roberto BAGGIO (ITA)

  • FIFA Fair Play Award:

    Nandor Hidgekuti, (individual award) (HUM), Football Association of Zambia

  • Top Team of the Year Award:

    Germany

  • Best Mover of the Year:

    Colombia

FIFA World Player GALA 1992

  • Player of the year:

    Marco VAN BASTEN (NED)

  • FIFA Fair Play Award:

    Union Royale Belge des Sociétés de Football Association

FIFA World Player GALA 1991

  • Player of the year:

    Lothar MATTHAEUS (GER)

  • FIFA Fair Play Award:

    Real Federación Española de Fútbol (Spanish FA), JORGINHO (BRA)

Videos

    The nominees

    Five men and five women were shortlisted for the FIFA World Player and FIFA Women's World Player awards. FIFA.com brings you profiles and exclusive interviews with the contenders.