At the end of each FIFA World Cup final tournament, several awards are presented to the players and teams which have distinguished themselves in various aspects of the game.
There are currently five post-tournament awards, and one given during the tournament:[1]
One other awards was given between 1994 and 2006:[2]
From 2010 onwards, all Dream Teams or statistical teams are unofficial, as reported by FIFA itself.
"FIFA World Cup Golden Ball" redirects here. For the women's award, see FIFA Women's World Cup Golden Ball. |
The Golden Ball award is presented to the best player at each FIFA World Cup finals, with a shortlist drawn up by the FIFA technical committee and the winner voted for by representatives of the media. Those who finish as runners-up in the vote receive the Silver Ball and Bronze Ball awards as the second and third most outstanding players in the tournament respectively. The current award was introduced in the 1982 FIFA World Cup, sponsored by Adidas and France Football.[3]
Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|
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2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
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2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
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2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
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1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
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1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
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1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
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1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
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0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
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0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
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0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
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0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
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0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
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0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
In July 1978, a panel of 23 international experts which consisted of critics, coaches, and former players each chose the five best players of the 1978 tournament.[5] Mario Kempes got the most votes as a result of the counting. FIFA website and RSSSF also mentioned Kempes as a Golden Ball winner.[6][7][8] The FIFA website and RSSSF only mention Dirceu as the Bronze Ball winner, even though Dirceu and Hans Krankl had the same amount of top five finishes.
World Cup | Winner | Runner-up | Third place |
---|---|---|---|
1978 Argentina | ![]() |
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Authoritative football historian and statistician Ejikeme Ikwunze, popularly called "Mr. Football", published a list of the best players in his book World Cup (1930-2010): A Statistical Summary,[9] and it gained the most attention among experts' selections about the best players until 1974. This work is part of the official FIFA library[10] and received public recognition from his former presidents Joao Havelange and Joseph Blatter.[11] Sports Illustrated and a writer Nick Holt also reported the same list.[12][13] A considerable number of other media[14][15] including FIFA website agreed in several cases such as José Nasazzi,[16][17] Zizinho,[18] Didí,[19][20][21] Garrincha,[22][23][24] Pelé,[25][26] Johan Cruyff,[27] Franz Beckenbauer (Silver Ball),[28] Josef Masopust (Silver Ball),[29] Fritz Walter (Bronze Ball)[30] and György Sárosi (Bronze Ball).[31] The FIFA website lists Sándor Kocsis as the 1954 Golden Ball winner.[32]
World Cup | Winner | Runner-up | Third place |
---|---|---|---|
1930 Uruguay | ![]() |
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1934 Italy | ![]() |
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1938 France | ![]() |
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1950 Brazil | ![]() |
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1954 Switzerland | ![]() |
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1958 Sweden | ![]() |
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1962 Chile | ![]() |
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1966 England | ![]() |
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1970 México | ![]() |
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1974 West Germany | ![]() |
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On August 2nd 1950 the German newspaper Kicker (then Sport-Magazin) published an article, written by Dr. Friedebert Becker, in which Dr. Becker chose in his opinion the best players of the tournament.[33]
World Cup | Winner | Runner-up | Third place |
---|---|---|---|
1950 Brazil | ![]() |
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France Football, the sponsor of Golden Ball and Ballon d'Or, selected the best player of the 1966 FIFA World Cup at that time with L'Équipe, and Bobby Charlton became the winner.[34] The FIFA website also seems to agree on Bobby Charlton winning the Golden Ball[35] and Eusébio winning the Bronze Ball.[36]
World Cup | Winner | Runner-up | Third place | Fourth place |
---|---|---|---|---|
1966 England | ![]() |
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In 1998 the Argentinian newspaper Clarín provided a brief description of each star player dating back to 1930. Some are controversial decisions as is the case with retrospective awards.[37] The 1998 winner was awarded after the tournament ended.
World Cup | Winner |
---|---|
1930 Uruguay | ![]() |
1934 Italy | ![]() |
1938 France | ![]() |
1950 Brazil | ![]() |
1954 Switzerland | ![]() |
1958 Sweden | ![]() |
1962 Chile | ![]() |
1966 England | ![]() |
1970 México | ![]() |
1974 West Germany | ![]() |
1978 Argentina | ![]() |
1982 Spain | ![]() |
1986 Mexico | ![]() |
1990 Italy | ![]() |
1994 USA | ![]() |
1998 France | ![]() |
"FIFA World Cup Golden Boot" redirects here. For the women's award, see FIFA Women's World Cup Golden Boot. |
The Golden Boot or Golden Shoe Award goes to the top goalscorer of the FIFA World Cup. While every World Cup had a ranking of the goalscorers, the first time an award was given was in 1982,[4] under the name Golden Shoe.[3] It was rechristened Golden Boot in 2010.[38] FIFA sometimes lists the top goalscorers of previous Cups among the Golden Boot winners.[39]
If there is more than one player with the same number of goals, since 1994 the tie-breaker goes to the player with fewer goals scored from penalties, then next tie breaker goes to the person with more assists - with the FIFA Technical Study Group deciding whether an assist is to be counted as such.[40][41] If there is still more than one player, the tie-breaker since 2006 goes to the player who has played the least amount of time, which translates to a higher goal average.[42]
Top Goalscorer[43][44] | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
World Cup | Top goalscorer | Goals | Runners-up | Goals | Third place | Goals |
1930 Uruguay | ![]() |
8 | ![]() |
5 | ![]() |
4 |
1934 Italy | ![]() |
5[a] | ![]() ![]() |
4 | None | —
|
1938 France | ![]() |
7[b] | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
5 | ||
1950 Brazil | ![]() |
8[c] | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
4 | |
1954 Switzerland | ![]() |
11 | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
6 | None | —
|
1958 Sweden | ![]() |
13 | ![]() ![]() | |||
1962 Chile | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
4 | None | —
| ||
1966 England | ![]() |
9 | ![]() |
6 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
4 |
1970 Mexico | ![]() |
10 | ![]() |
7 | ![]() |
5 |
1974 West Germany | ![]() |
7 | ![]() ![]() |
5 | None | |
1978 Argentina[48] | ![]() |
6 | ![]() |
![]() |
5 | |
Golden Shoe[39] | ||||||
World Cup | Golden Shoe | Goals | Silver Shoe | Goals | Bronze Shoe | Goals |
1982 Spain | ![]() |
6 | ![]() |
5 | ![]() |
4 |
1986 Mexico | ![]() |
6 | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
5 | None[49] | |
1990 Italy | ![]() |
6 | ![]() |
5 | ![]() ![]() |
4 |
1994 United States | ![]() ![]() |
6 | None | —
|
![]() ![]() |
5[f] |
1998 France[51] | ![]() |
6 | ![]() ![]() |
5 | None[g] | |
2002 South Korea/Japan[52] | ![]() |
8[h][i] | ![]() ![]() |
5 | ||
2006 Germany[54] | ![]() |
5 | ![]() |
3[j] | ![]() |
3[j] |
Golden Boot[39] | ||||||
World Cup | Golden Boot | Goals | Silver Boot | Goals | Bronze Boot | Goals |
2010 South Africa | ![]() |
5[k] | ![]() |
5[k] | ![]() |
5[k] |
2014 Brazil | ![]() |
6 | ![]() |
5 | ![]() |
4[l] |
2018 Russia | ![]() |
6 | ![]() |
4[m] | ![]() |
4[m] |
Notes | ||||||
|
"FIFA World Cup Golden Glove" redirects here. For the women's award, see FIFA Women's World Cup Golden Glove. |
The Golden Glove Award is awarded to the best goalkeeper of the tournament. The award was introduced with the name Lev Yashin Award in 1994, in honor of the late Soviet goalkeeper.[4] It was rechristened Golden Glove in 2010. The FIFA Technical Study Group recognises the top goalkeeper of the tournament based on the player's performance throughout the final competition. Although goalkeepers have this specific award for their position, they are still eligible for the Golden Ball as well, as when Oliver Kahn was awarded in 2002. In the event of a tie, the Golden Glove Award goes to the goalkeeper who progressed furthest in the competition. The next tiebreakers are saves made, then minutes played.
Lev Yashin Award | |
---|---|
World Cup | Lev Yashin Award |
1994 United States | ![]() |
1998 France | ![]() |
2002 South Korea/Japan | ![]() |
2006 Germany | ![]() |
Golden Glove | |
World Cup | Golden Glove |
2010 South Africa | ![]() |
2014 Brazil | ![]() |
2018 Russia | ![]() |
There was no official best goalkeeper award for the FIFA World Cup before 1994 but some blog level websites list Golden Glove winners starting from 1930. The list seems to match the All-Star team goalkeepers from different blog level websites[59] and other unofficial All-Star teams.[60][61][62][63][64] Other more official sources support some of these picks too.[65]
"FIFA World Cup Best Young Player Award" redirects here. For the women's award, see FIFA Women's World Cup Best Young Player Award. |
The Best Young Player award was awarded for the first time at the 2006 World Cup in Germany and given to Germany's Lukas Podolski.[68] The award is given to the best player in the tournament who is at most 21 years old. For the 2018 World Cup, this meant that the player had to have been born on or after 1 January 1997. The election took place on FIFA's official World Cup website with the help of The FIFA Technical Study Group.[69]
FIFA organised a survey on the Internet for users to choose the "best young player" of the World Cup, between 1958 and 2002, named the best young player of each tournament.[70] With 61% of the overall vote, the winner was Pelé, who finished ahead of the Peruvian Teófilo Cubillas, the best young player at Mexico 1970, and England's Michael Owen, who reached similar heights at France 98.[71]
World Cup | Best Young Player | Age |
---|---|---|
1958 Sweden | ![]() |
17 |
1962 Chile | ![]() |
20 |
1966 England | ![]() |
20 |
1970 Mexico | ![]() |
21 |
1974 West Germany | ![]() |
20 |
1978 Argentina | ![]() |
20 |
1982 Spain | ![]() |
21 |
1986 Mexico | ![]() |
20 |
1990 Italy | ![]() |
21 |
1994 United States | ![]() |
20 |
1998 France | ![]() |
18 |
2002 South Korea/Japan | ![]() |
20 |
2006 Germany | ![]() |
21 |
2010 South Africa | ![]() |
20 |
2014 Brazil | ![]() |
21 |
2018 Russia | ![]() |
19 |
"FIFA World Cup Fair Play Trophy" redirects here. For the women's award, see FIFA Women's World Cup Fair Play Trophy. |
The FIFA Fair Play Trophy is given to the team with the best record of fair play during the World Cup final tournament since 1970. Only teams that qualified for the second round are considered. The winners of this award earn the FIFA Fair Play Trophy, a diploma, a fair play medal for each player and official, and $50,000 worth of football equipment to be used for youth development.[76]
The appearance of the award was originally a certificate. From 1982 to 1990, it had been a golden trophy based on Sport Billy, a football-playing cartoon character from 1982 who became an icon for FIFA Fair play.[77][78] Ever since 1994, it is simply a trophy with an elegant footballer figure.[79] Peru was the first nation to win the award after receiving no yellow or red cards in the 1970 FIFA World Cup held in Mexico.[80]
The Man of the Match award picks the outstanding player in every game of the tournament since 2002. While the inaugural two editions were chosen by the technical group,[81][82] the Man of the Match is since 2010 picked by an online poll on FIFA's website.[83][84]
World Cup | Most Man of the Match wins | Wins |
---|---|---|
2002 South Korea/Japan | ![]() |
3 |
2006 Germany | ![]() |
3 |
2010 South Africa | ![]() |
4 |
2014 Brazil | ![]() |
4 |
2018 Russia | ![]() |
3 |
Total awards
As of 15 July 2018
Rank | Player | Country | MoM | WC with awards |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Arjen Robben | ![]() |
6 | 2006, 2010, 2014 |
Cristiano Ronaldo | ![]() |
2010, 2014, 2018 | ||
Lionel Messi | ![]() |
2010, 2014, 2018 | ||
4 | Luis Suárez | ![]() |
5 | 2010, 2014, 2018 |
5 | Eden Hazard | ![]() |
4 | 2014, 2018 |
Keisuke Honda | ![]() |
2010, 2014 | ||
James Rodríguez | ![]() |
2014, 2018 | ||
Miroslav Klose | ![]() |
2002, 2006 | ||
Park Ji-sung | ![]() |
2002, 2006, 2010 | ||
Thomas Müller | ![]() |
2010, 2014 | ||
Wesley Sneijder | ![]() |
2010 |
By country
As of 15 July 2018
Rank | Country | MoM | Players |
---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
22 | 14 |
![]() |
12 | ||
3 | ![]() |
17 | 11 |
4 | ![]() |
16 | 10 |
5 | ![]() |
15 | 8 |
6 | ![]() |
14 | 12 |
7 | ![]() |
12 | 10 |
![]() |
3 | ||
9 | ![]() |
11 | 7 |
![]() |
6 | ||
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7 |
The FIFA Award for the Most Entertaining Team is a subjectively awarded prize for the team that had done the most to entertain the public with a positive approach to the game, organised through public participation in a poll[4] starting in 1994.[38]
World Cup | Most Entertaining Team Award |
---|---|
1994 United States | ![]() |
1998 France | ![]() |
2002 South Korea/Japan | ![]() |
2006 Germany | ![]() |
2010 South Africa | ![]() |
2014 Brazil | ![]() |
2018 Russia | ![]() |
The All-Star Team is a team of the best performers at the respective World Cup finals. Since 1994, FIFA decided to add official best squads, chosen by its technical group under the brand name MasterCard All-Star Team.[87] For 1998, 2002 and 2006, substitute and reserve members were also nominated for full squads.
FIFA published the first All-Star Team in 1938, but it never made All-Star Team again until 1990 due to ensuing complaints.[60] In January 1959, the host of 1958 tournament Swedish Federation published an All-Star Team based on 720 answers out of 1,200 experts.[61][91] In 1990 there was an All-Star Team announced in combination with the Golden Ball ceremony. It was chosen by the same journalists who chose the best player, but this team is still considered unofficial.[92][93]
World Cup | Goalkeepers | Defenders | Midfielders | Forwards | Reserves |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1938 France |
|
No
reserves | |||
1958 Sweden | |||||
1990 Italy |
|
|
Selections by media
On August 2nd, 1950, a writer for Kicker (then Sport-Magazin) Dr. Friedebert Becker chose his All-Star team for the tournament in Brazil. A Brazilian newspaper Mundo Esportivo also chose an All-Star Team for the 1950 tournament.[33] After the 1958 tournament in Sweden, France Football and former France manager, player and journalist Gabriel Hanot picked their All-Star teams. France Football also mentioned a statistical All-Star team from ratings they had given throughout the tournament.[94] After the 1962 tournament in Chile, three writers for France Football Jacques Ferran, Jean-Philippe Rethacker and Robert Vergne picked their All-Star Team.[63] On July 31, 1966, a day after the tournament the Associated Press chose an All-Star Team for the 1966 tournament in England.[62] Two more All-Star teams were selected by Chilean magazine Estadio and Argentinian magazine El Gráfico in 1966.[64] Estadio selected an All-Star Team for 1974.[95] Goles magazine, Guerin Sportivo, Chilean newspapers Crónica and El Mercurio with a combined XI, Italy's manager Enzo Bearzot, La Prensa, Clarín, La Razón, El País and even Pelé all chose an All-Star team for 1978.[96][97] Pelé was also asked his opinion for the 1982 World Cup and chose his All-Star team.[98] Guerin Sportivo comprised an All-Star team from various selections by different publications after Italys triumph in 1982. They also chose their own All-Star team which was slightly different.[99] El Gráfico, L'Équipe, Mundo Deportivo, La Gazzetta dello Sport, Estadio and Don Balón all chose an All-Star Team for 1982.[100][101][102] Kicker, France Football, El Gráfico, Guerin Sportivo and La Gazzetta dello Sport all selected an All-Star teams for 1986.[103][99][98] In 1990 La Gazzetta dello Sport, El Gráfico, Associated Press, Deporte Gráfico, Spotivo Sur, Jimmy Greaves, Match, Fußball Woche, Don Balón, Placar and Guerin Sportivo all picked an All-Star team.[99][98][103][93][104][105][106] In 2014 Johan Cruyff chose his All-Star team for the tournament.[107]
After FIFA changed its sponsor from MasterCard to Visa in 2007,[108] it published Team of the Tournament based on statistical data of other sponsors, which evaluates players' performances. FIFA explained these are not official,[109] but the best teams were announced in official website.
World Cup | Goalkeepers | Defenders | Midfielders | Forwards | Standard |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2010 South Africa[110] |
|
Castrol performance index | |||
2014 Brazil[111] | Castrol performance index | ||||
2018 Russia[109] |