IFFHS
Organisation chronicling the history and records of association football
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) is an organisation that chronicles the history and records of association football.[2][3][4] It was founded in 1984 by Alfredo Pöge in Leipzig.[2] The IFFHS was based in Abu Dhabi for some time but in 2010 relocated to Bonn, Germany, and then in 2014 to Zürich.[5]
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From its early stages to 2002, the IFFHS concentrated on publishing the quarterly magazines Fußball-Weltzeitschrift, Libero spezial deutsch and Libero international.[6] When these had to be discontinued for reasons which were not officially told, the organisation published its material in a series of multi-lingual books in co-operation with sponsors.[7] The statistical organisation has now confined its publishing activities to its website. IFFHS has no affiliation with FIFA,[8] but FIFA has cited awards and records conducted by IFFHS on their website.[9][10][11][12]
In 2008, Karl Lennartz, a sports historian and professor at the University of Cologne, Germany, called the organisation "obscure", describing it as a one-man show of its founder Alfredo Pöge.[13] IFFHS rankings and their significance have been a matter of criticism and the largest German news agency, Deutsche Presse-Agentur, refuse to publish them.[13] Furthermore, German die Tageszeitung stated that the IFFHS rankings serves merely for publicity,[13] although Bild,[14] Deutsche Welle,[15] Kicker-Sportmagazin,[16] the German Football Association (DFB),[17] and former president of the Association of West German Sports Journalists (German: Verbandes Westdeutscher Sportjournalisten — VWS) Heribert Faßbender have referenced IFFHS.[18]
The World's Best Club
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Since 1991, the entity has produced a monthly Club World Ranking. The ranking takes into consideration the results of twelve months of continental and intercontinental competitions, national league matches (including play-offs) and the most important national cup (excluding points won before the round of 16). All countries are rated at four levels based upon the national league performance—clubs in the highest level leagues receive 4 points for each match won, 2 for a draw and 0 for a defeat. Level 2 is assigned 3 pts. (win), 1.5 (draw) and 0 (lost), and so on with the next lower levels.
In continental competitions, all clubs receive the same number of points at all stages regardless of the performance level of their leagues. However, the UEFA Champions League and the Copa Libertadores yield more points than UEFA Europa League and Copa Sudamericana, respectively. The point assignment system is still lower for the AFC, CAF, CONCACAF and OFC continental tournaments. Competitions between two continents are evaluated depending upon their importance. Competitions not organised by a continental confederation, or any intercontinental events not recognized by FIFA, are not taken into consideration.
Men's winners
| Club | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|
 Real Madrid |
5 | 2000, 2002, 2014, 2017, 2024 |
| Barcelona |
1997, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015 | |
 Liverpool |
3 | 2001, 2005, 2019 |
 Juventus |
2 | 1993, 1996 |
| Milan |
1995, 2003 | |
| Sevilla |
2006, 2007 | |
| Manchester United |
1999, 2008 | |
| Inter Milan |
1998, 2010 | |
 Bayern Munich |
2013, 2020 | |
 Paris Saint-Germain |
1994, 2025 | |
| Roma |
1 | 1991 |
 Ajax |
1 | 1992 |
 Atlético Nacional |
1 | 2016 |
| Atlético Madrid |
1 | 2018 |
 Palmeiras |
1 | 2021 |
| Flamengo |
1 | 2022 |
| Manchester City |
1 | 2023 |
Continental Men's Clubs of the Century (1901–2000)
In 2009, the IFFHS released the results of a statistical study series which determined the best continental clubs of the 20th century.[20] The ranking did not consider the performance of the teams in national football tournaments (except in the Oceania's club ranking due to limited editions held under OFC club competitions), the performance in the intercontinental or worldwide club competitions or those submitted in the IFFHS Club World Ranking, available since 1991.[21]
Based on this study, which assigned a weighted score criteria applied for each competition analysed, the below six clubs were named as "continental clubs of the century" by the IFFHS between 10 September and 13 October 2009. These clubs were awarded with a golden trophy and a certificate during the World Football Gala celebrated at Fulham, London, on 11 May 2010.[22][23][24]
| Continent | Club |
|---|---|
| Europe | Real Madrid |
| South America |  Peñarol |
| Africa |  Asante Kotoko |
| Asia |  Al-Hilal |
| CONCACAF |  Saprissa |
| Oceania |  South Melbourne |
The Best Men's Club of the Decade
In 2012, the IFFHS recognised Barcelona as the World's Best Club Team of the Decade for the first decade of the 21st century (2001–2010).[25] In 2021, Barcelona were recognised as the world's best club also for the second decade (2011–2020).
Women's winners
| Club | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Lyon |
7 | 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 |
| Barcelona |
5 | 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 |
| VfL Wolfsburg |
2 | 2013, 2014 |
The World's Strongest National League
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Men's league
| League | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Spain |
13[40] | 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2010, 2011, 2012,[41] 2013,[42] 2014,[43] 2015,[44] 2016,[45] 2017,[46] 2018[47] |
| Italy |
13 | 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2006, 2020,[48] 2023,[49] 2024[50] |
| England |
6 | 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2019,[51] 2025[52] |
| Brazil |
2 | 2021,[53] 2022[54] |
| Germany |
1 | 1997[55] |
The Strongest National League of the Decade
Women's league
The World's Best Player
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Men's winners
From 1991 until 2009, FIFA continued this distinction named FIFA World Player of the Year; this award was later replaced by the FIFA Ballon d'Or in 2010, and The Best FIFA Men's Player in 2016. The award was reinstated in 2020.
| Player | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Marco van Basten |
2 | 1988,[63] 1989[64] |
 Robert Lewandowski |
2020,[65] 2021[66] | |
| Lothar Matthäus |
1 | 1990[67] |
 Lionel Messi |
2022[68] | |
 Erling Haaland |
2023[69] | |
| Rodri |
2024[70] | |
| Ousmane Dembélé |
2025[71] |
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Women's winners
| Player | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Aitana Bonmatí |
3 | 2023,[72] 2024,[73] 2025[74] |
| Alexia Putellas |
2 | 2021,[75] 2022[76] |
 Pernille Harder |
1 | 2020[77] |
The World's Best Man Player of the Century (1901–2000)
| Rank | Player | Nationality | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pelé | Brazil |
1705 |
| 2 | Johan Cruyff | Netherlands |
1303 |
| 3 | Franz Beckenbauer | West Germany |
1228 |
| 4 | Alfredo Di Stéfano | Argentina |
1215 |
| 5 | Diego Maradona | Argentina |
1214 |
| 6 | Ferenc Puskás |  Hungary |
810 |
| 7 | Michel Platini | France |
722 |
| 8 | Garrincha | Brazil |
624 |
| 9 | Eusébio |  Portugal |
544 |
| 10 | Bobby Charlton | England |
508 |
The World's Best Woman Player of the Century (1901–2000)
IFFHS gave out an award decided by votes which was conducted with the participation of journalists and former players (no further details given).[80]
| Rank | Player | Nationality | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mia Hamm |  United States |
442 |
| 2 | Michelle Akers | United States |
411 |
| 3 | Heidi Mohr | Germany |
250 |
| 4 | Carolina Morace | Italy |
230 |
| 5 | Sissi | Brazil |
212 |
| 6 | Linda Medalen | Norway |
181 |
| 7 | Liu Ailing |  China |
165 |
| 8 | Kristine Lilly | United States |
160 |
| 9 | Heidi Støre | Norway |
141 |
| 10 | Pia Sundhage |  Sweden |
129 |
The World's Best Man Player of the 19th Century (until 1900)
In November 2021, IFFHS announced the Dream Team of the 19th Century and the top 3 players.
| Rank | Player | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gilbert Oswald Smith | England |
| 2 | John Goodall | England |
| 3 | Steve Bloomer | England |
Top 10 players of all-time (2025)
In May 2025, IFFHS announced the top 10 players of all time, based on performance statistics, with Lionel Messi being the winner surpassing Pelé, the IFFHS Player of the 20th Century.
| Rank | Player | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lionel Messi | Argentina |
| 2 | Pelé | Brazil |
| 3 | Diego Maradona | Argentina |
| 4 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal |
| 5 | Johan Cruyff | Netherlands |
| 6 | Ronaldo | Brazil |
| 7 | Zinedine Zidane | France |
| 8 | Franz Beckenbauer | Germany |
| 9 | Alfredo Di Stefano | Argentina |
| 10 | Ronaldinho | Brazil |
World's best player and coach
It was a one-time award under the name world's universal genius won by Franz Beckenbauer for his world success as both player and coach in 2007.[84]
| Player | Nationality | |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Franz Beckenbauer | West Germany |
World's most popular player
The World‘s most popular player as voted by IFFHS users:
| Year | Player | Nationality | Club | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 [85] | Steven Gerard | England |
Liverpool FC | 47.464 |
| 2007 [86] | Mohamed Aboutrika |  Egypt |
Al-Ahly Cairo | 1.017.786 |
| 2008 [87] | Mohamed Aboutrika | Egypt |
Al-Ahly Cairo | 301.837 |
| 2009 [88] | Mohamed Aboutrika | Egypt |
Al-Ahly Cairo | 84.470 |
Europe's best player
Best European Player (1956-1989)
On 24 April 1990, before the 1990 World Cup, IFFHS gave out an award for the best European player taking into consideration players who were voted in the shortlist of the France Football's Ballon D'Or from 1956 until 1989.[89]
European Player of the Century (1901–2000)
| Rank | Player | Nationality | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johan Cruyff | Netherlands |
756 |
| 2 | Franz Beckenbauer | West Germany |
709 |
| 3 | Alfredo Di Stéfano | Spain |
708 |
| 4 | Ferenc Puskás | Hungary |
667 |
| 5 | Michel Platini | France |
505 |
| 6 | Eusébio | Portugal |
379 |
| 7 | Bobby Charlton | England |
303 |
| 8 | Stanley Matthews | England |
282 |
| 9 | Gerd Müller | West Germany |
249 |
| 10 | Marco Van Basten | Netherlands |
240 |
European Player of Decade (2011-2020)
On February 2, 2021, IFFHS announced the best player European player (UEFA).[91]
| Player | Nationality | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal |
| 2 | Sergio Ramos | Spain |
| 3 | Manuel Neuer | Germany |
South America's Best Player
South American Player of the Century (1901–2000)
| Rank | Player | Nationality | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pelé | Brazil |
220 |
| 2 | Diego Maradona | Argentina |
193 |
| 3 | Alfredo Di Stéfano | Argentina |
161 |
| 4 | Garrincha | Brazil |
142 |
| 5 | José Manuel Moreno | Argentina |
82 |
| 6 | Juan Alberto Schiaffino | Uruguay |
52 |
| 7 | Zico | Brazil |
51 |
| 8 | Arsenio Erico |  Paraguay |
42 |
| - | Elías Figueroa |  Chile |
42 |
| 10 | Zizinho | Brazil |
40 |
South American Player of Decade (2011-2020)
On February 2, 2021, IFFHS announced the best player Southh American player (CONMEBOL).[93]
| Player | Nationality | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lionel Messi | Argentina |
| 2 | Neymar | Brazil |
| 3 | Dani Alves | Brazil |
CONCACAF Best Player
CONCACAF Player of the Century (1901–2000)
| Rank | Player | Nationality | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hugo Sánchez |  Mexico |
107 |
| 2 | Luis de la Fuente | Mexico |
45 |
| 3 | Carlos Hermosillo | Mexico |
42 |
| 4 | Horacio Casarín | Mexico |
40 |
| 5 | Raúl Cárdenas | Mexico |
39 |
| 6 | Adelino Gonsalves | United States |
33 |
| 7 | Salvador Reyes | Mexico |
30 |
| 8 | Bruce Wilson |  Canada |
29 |
| - | Julio Dely Valdés |  Panama |
29 |
| 10 | Jorge Alberto González |  El Salvador |
24 |
Player of Decade (2011-2020)
On February 5, 2021, IFFHS announced the best CONCACAF player.[95]
| Player | Nationality | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keylor Navas | Costa Rica |
| 2 | Javier Hernández | Mexico |
| 3 | Clint Dempsey | United States |
Africa's Best Player
African Player of the Century (1901–2000)
| Rank | Player | Nationality | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Weah |  Liberia |
95 |
| 2 | Roger Milla |  Cameroon |
77 |
| 3 | Abedi Pele | Ghana |
72 |
| 4 | Lakhdar Belloumi |  Algeria |
56 |
| 5 | Rabah Madjer | Algeria |
51 |
| 6 | Théophile Abega | Cameroon |
39 |
| 7 | Laurent Pokou |  Ivory Coast |
38 |
| 8 | François Omam-Biyik | Cameroon |
37 |
| 9 | Ahmed Faras |  Morocco |
35 |
| 10 | Finidi George |  Nigeria |
32 |
Player of Decade (2011-2020)
On February 5, 2021, IFFHS announced the best African player.[97]
| Player | Nationality | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mohamed Salah | Egypt |
| 2 | Sadio Mané |  Senegal |
| 3 | Riyad Mahrez | Algeria |
Asia's Best Player
Asian Player of the Century (1901–2000)
| Rank | Player | Nationality | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bum-Kun Cha |  South Korea |
112 |
| 2 | Joo-Sung Kim | South Korea |
93 |
| 3 | Majed Abdullah | Saudi Arabia |
87 |
| 4 | Kazuyoshi Miura |  Japan |
71 |
| 5 | Kunishige Kamamoto | Japan |
70 |
| 6 | Saeed Al-Owairan | Saudi Arabia |
68 |
| 7 | Ali Daei |  Iran |
64 |
| 8 | Khodadad Azizi | Iran |
59 |
| 9 | Ahmed Radhi |  Iraq |
48 |
| 10 | Karim Bagheri | Iran |
47 |
Player of Decade (2011-2020)
On February 5, 2021, IFFHS announced the best Asian player.[99]
| Player | Nationality | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heung-min Son | South Korea |
| 2 | Keisuke Honda | Japan |
| 3 | Salem Al-Dawsari | Saudi Arabia |
Oceania's Best Player
OFC Player of the Century (1901–2000)
| Rank | Player | Nationality | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wynton Rufer |  New Zealand |
62 |
| 2 | Frank Farina | Australia |
41 |
| 3 | Christian Karembeu[a] |  New Caledonia |
40 |
| 4 | Joe Marston | Australia |
34 |
| 5 | John Kosmina | Australia |
33 |
| 6 | Alan Davidson | Australia |
22 |
| 7 | Robert Slater | Australia |
17 |
| - | Paul Okon | Australia |
17 |
| 9 | Reg Date | Australia |
14 |
| 10 | Eddie Krncevic | Australia |
13 |
Player of Decade (2011-2020)
On November 6, 2021, IFFHS announced the best Oceanian player.[101]
| Player | Nationality | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chris Wood | New Zealand |
| 2 | Winston Reid | New Zealand |
| 3 | Marco Rojas | New Zealand |
The World's Best Youth (U20) Player
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The award was introduced in 2021.
Men's winners
| Year | Winner | Club(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Pedri[102] |
Barcelona |
| 2022 | Jude Bellingham[103] |
Borussia Dortmund |
| 2023 | Jude Bellingham[104] |
Borussia Dortmund Real Madrid |
| 2024 | Lamine Yamal[105] |
Barcelona |
| 2025 | Lamine Yamal[106] |
Barcelona |
Women's winners
| Year | Winner | Club(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Hanna Bennison[107] |
FC Rosengård Everton |
| 2022 | Linda Caicedo[108] |
Deportivo Cali |
| 2023 | Salma Paralluelo[109] |
Barcelona |
| 2024 | Vicky López[110] |
Barcelona |
| 2025 | Vicky López[111] |
Barcelona |
The World's Best Playmaker
Men's winners
The IFFHS World's Best Playmaker is a footballing award which, since 2006, is given annually to the best playmaker of the year, as chosen by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS).[113] The award is awarded at the end of the year at the World Football Gala: the winning playmaker is awarded a gold trophy. Argentina's Lionel Messi has won the award a record five times. Spain's Xavi won the award four times, all consecutively, while Belgian Kevin De Bruyne won the award three times. Barcelona is the club with the most wins, with ten in total. Lionel Messi was named the Best Playmaker since 2006 and the Best Playmaker of the Decade 2011–2020.[114][115]
| Year | Winner | Club(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Zinedine Zidane |
Real Madrid | |
| 2007 | Kaká |
Milan | |
| 2008 | Xavi |
Barcelona | |
| 2009 | Xavi |
Barcelona | |
| 2010 | Xavi |
Barcelona | |
| 2011 | Xavi |
Barcelona | |
| 2012 | Andrés Iniesta |
Barcelona | |
| 2013 | Andrés Iniesta |
Barcelona | |
| 2014 | Toni Kroos |
Bayern Munich Real Madrid | |
| 2015 | Lionel Messi |
Barcelona | |
| 2016 | Lionel Messi |
Barcelona | |
| 2017 | Lionel Messi |
Barcelona | |
| 2018 |  Luka Modrić |
Real Madrid | |
| 2019 | Lionel Messi |
Barcelona | |
| 2020 |  Kevin De Bruyne |
Manchester City | |
| 2021 | Kevin De Bruyne |
Manchester City | |
| 2022 | Lionel Messi[116] |
Paris Saint-Germain | |
| 2023 | Kevin De Bruyne[117] |
Manchester City | |
| 2024 | Jude Bellingham[118] |
Real Madrid | |
| 2025 | Vitinha[119] |
Paris Saint-Germain | |
| Source:[120] | |||
| Player | Wins | Years | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lionel Messi |
5 | 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022 | |
| Xavi |
4 | 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 | |
| Kevin De Bruyne |
3 | 2020, 2021, 2023 | |
| Andrés Iniesta |
2 | 2012, 2013 | |
| Source:[120] | |||
Women's winners
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Dzsenifer Marozsán was named the Best Playmaker since 2006 and the Best Playmaker of the Decade 2011–2020.[121][122]
| Year | Winner | Club(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Marta[123] |
Tyresö FF |
| 2013 | Lena Goeßling[124] |
VfL Wolfsburg |
| 2014 | Nadine Keßler[125] |
VfL Wolfsburg |
| 2015 | Carli Lloyd[126] |
Houston Dash |
| 2016 | Dzsenifer Marozsán[127] |
Lyon |
| 2017 | Lieke Martens[128] |
FC Rosengård Barcelona |
| 2018 | Dzsenifer Marozsán[129] |
Lyon |
| 2019 | Megan Rapinoe[130] |
Reign FC |
| 2020 | Dzsenifer Marozsán[131] |
Lyon |
| 2021 | Alexia Putellas[132] |
Barcelona |
| 2022 | Alexia Putellas[133] |
Barcelona |
| 2023 | Aitana Bonmatí[134] |
Barcelona |
| 2024 | Aitana Bonmatí[135] |
Barcelona |
| 2025 | Aitana Bonmatí[136] |
Barcelona |
The World's Best Goalkeeper
Men's winners
| Player | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Iker Casillas |
5 | 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 |
| Gianluigi Buffon |
2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2017 | |
| Manuel Neuer |
2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020 | |
| Walter Zenga |
3 | 1989, 1990, 1991 |
| José Luis Chilavert |
1995, 1997, 1998 | |
| Oliver Kahn |
1999, 2001, 2002 | |
| Peter Schmeichel |
2 | 1992, 1993 |
| Thibaut Courtois |
2018, 2022 | |
| Gianluigi Donnarumma |
2021, 2025 |
Women's winners
| Player | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Hope Solo |
4 | 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 |
| Sarah Bouhaddi |
2016, 2017, 2018, 2020 | |
| Christiane Endler |
2 | 2021, 2022 |
The World's Best Top Goal Scorer
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This award is given annually since 2020, and retroactively from 2011 to 2019, to the world's top goalscorer in the calendar year.
Men's winners
| Player | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Cristiano Ronaldo |
5 | 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2023 |
| Lionel Messi |
2 | 2012, 2016 |
| Robert Lewandowski |
2020, 2021 | |
| Kylian Mbappé |
2022, 2025 |
All-time World's Best Goal Scorer ranking
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| Rank | Player | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cristiano Ronaldo |
959 |
| 2 | Lionel Messi |
896 |
| 3 | Pelé |
762 |
| 4 | Romário |
756 |
| 5 |   Ferenc Puskás |
725 |
| 6 |   Josef Bican |
722 |
| 7 | Robert Lewandowski |
674 |
| 8 |  Jimmy Jones |
639 |
| 9 | Gerd Müller |
634 |
| 10 | Joe Bambrick |
626 |
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Women's winners
The women's award was introduced in 2021.
| Year | Winner | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Jennifer Hermoso[143] |
Barcelona |
48 |
| 2022 | Fenna Kalma[144] |
Twente |
45 |
| 2023 |  Temwa Chawinga[145] |
Wuhan Jianghan |
63 |
| 2024 | Charlyn Corral[146] |
Pachuca |
44 |
| 2025 | Charlyn Corral[147] |
Pachuca |
57 |
The World's Best International Goal Scorer
This award is given annually since 1991 to the world's top international goalscorer in the calendar year.
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Men's winners
| Player | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Cristiano Ronaldo |
5 | 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019 |
| Lionel Messi |
3 | 2011, 2012, 2022 |
| Ali Daei |
2 | 1996, 2004 |
| Robert Lewandowski |
2015, 2021 | |
| Romelu Lukaku |
2020, 2023 |
Women's winners
The women's award was introduced in 2021.
| Year | Winner | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Ellen White[149] |
Manchester City |
21 |
| 2022 | Sam Kerr[150] |
Chelsea |
17 |
| 2023 |  Barbra Banda[151] |
Shanghai Shengli |
15 |
| 2024 | Lea Schüller[152] |
Bayern Munich |
14 |
| 2025 | Claudia Pina[153] |
Barcelona |
18 |
The World's Best Top Division Goal Scorer
This award is given annually since 1997 to the player who scores the most goals in a league season (in a calendar year since 2020) in any of the top 60 leagues in the world (as ranked by IFFHS for that given year).
Men's winners
| Player | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Lionel Messi |
4 | 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018 (shared) |
| Luis Suárez |
3 | 2010, 2014 (shared), 2016 |
| Cristiano Ronaldo |
2014 (shared), 2015, 2020 | |
| Mário Jardel |
2 | 1999, 2000 |
All-time World's Best Top Division Goal Scorer ranking
| Rank | Player | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cristiano Ronaldo |
587 |
| 2 | Lionel Messi |
552 |
| 3 | Josef Bican |
515 |
| Ferenc Puskás | ||
| 5 | Robert Lewandowski |
420 |
| 6 | Luis Suárez |
419 |
| 7 | Imre Schlosser |
417 |
| 8 | Gyula Zsengellér |
416 |
| 9 |  Jimmy McGrory |
409 |
| 10 | Gerd Müller |
405 |
The World's Best Top Division Goal Scorer of the First Decade (2001–2010)
The final list includes the 18 players who scored 150 or more goals in top-tier national leagues in the period of time from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2010. The results were posted on the IFFHS' official website on 25 September 2022.[164]
The World's Best Top Division Goal Scorer of the Second Decade (2011–2020)
The final list includes the 36 players who scored 150 or more goals in top-tier national leagues in the period of time from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2020. The results were posted on the IFFHS' official website on 6 January 2021.[165]
| Rank | Player | Nation | Goals | Club(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lionel Messi | Argentina |
346 | Barcelona (2011–20) |
| 2 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal |
332 | Real Madrid (2011–18) Juventus (2018–20) |
| 3 | Robert Lewandowski | Poland |
248 | Borussia Dortmund (2011–14) Bayern Munich (2014–20) |
| 4 | Zlatan Ibrahimović | Sweden |
236 | Milan (2011–12; 2019–20) Paris Saint-Germain (2012–16) Manchester United (2016–18) LA Galaxy (2018–19) |
| 5 | Luis Suárez | Uruguay |
224 | Liverpool (2011–14) Barcelona (2014–20) Atlético Madrid (2020) |
| 6 | Carlos Saucedo |  Bolivia |
213 | San José (2012–13; 2017–19) Saprissa (2014) Oriente Petrolero (2015) Blooming (2015–16) Real Potosí (2016) Guabirá (2017) Royal Pari (2020) |
| 7 | Edinson Cavani | Uruguay |
209 | Napoli (2011–13) Paris Saint-Germain (2013–20) Manchester United (2020) |
Women's winners
The women's award was introduced in 2021.
| Year | Winner | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Lucie Martínková[166] |
Sparta Prague |
38 |
| 2022 | Mia Fishel[167] |
UANL |
33 |
| 2023 | Charlyn Corral[168] |
Pachuca |
34 |
| 2024 | Charlyn Corral[169] |
Pachuca |
42 |
| 2025 | Charlyn Corral[170] |
Pachuca |
50 |
The World's Most Effective Top Division Goal Scorer
This award was given annually from 1997 to 2004 to the player with the best goal ratio (goals/matches played) in a league season in any of the top 60 leagues in the world (as ranked by IFFHS for that given year).
Men's winners
| Year | Winner | Club | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 |  Hakan Şükür[171] |
Galatasaray |
1.188 |
| 1998 |  Masashi Nakayama[172] |
Júbilo Iwata |
1.276 |
| 1999 | Mário Jardel[173] |
Porto |
1.125 |
| 2000 | Hamzah Idris[174] |
Al Ittihad |
1.320 |
| 2001 | Romário[175] |
Vasco da Gama |
1.167 |
| 2002 | Mário Jardel[176] |
Sporting CP |
1.400 |
| 2003 |  José Cardozo[177] |
Toluca |
1.381 |
| 2004 |  Shuhrat Mirkholdirshoev[178] |
Navbahor Namangan |
1.192 |
The World Team
.jpg)
Men's winners
In 2017, IFFHS started to nominate a world team of the year.[179]
| Player | Apps | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Lionel Messi |
7 | 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 |
| Kevin De Bruyne |
6 | 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 |
| Cristiano Ronaldo |
5 | 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 |
| Alphonso Davies |
5 | 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 |
| Kylian Mbappé |
5 | 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025 |
| Sergio Ramos |
4 | 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 |
| Erling Haaland |
4 | 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 |
| Luka Modrić |
3 | 2017, 2018, 2022 |
| Rúben Dias |
3 | 2021, 2023, 2024 |
| Achraf Hakimi |
3 | 2021, 2022, 2025 |
| Marcelo |
2 | 2017, 2018 |
| Trent Alexander-Arnold |
2 | 2019, 2020 |
| Virgil van Dijk |
2 | 2019, 2020 |
| Leonardo Bonucci |
2 | 2017, 2021 |
| Robert Lewandowski |
2 | 2020, 2021 |
| Thibaut Courtois |
2 | 2018, 2022 |
| Toni Kroos |
2 | 2017, 2024 |
| Rodri |
2 | 2023, 2024 |
| Jude Bellingham |
2 | 2023, 2024 |
| Gianluigi Donnarumma |
2 | 2021, 2025 |
| Harry Kane |
2 | 2023, 2025 |
| Lamine Yamal |
2 | 2024, 2025 |
19th Century Men's Dream Team (2021)
The XI covers the 1863–1900 period.
| Continent | Goalkeeper | Defenders | Midfielders | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| World[181] |  James Trainer |
Robert Holmes Walter Arnott |
Neilly Gibson James Cowan Ernest Needham |
Steve Bloomer John Goodall William Bassett Gilbert Oswald Smith John Bell |
20th Century Men's Dream Team (2000)
The XIs cover the 1901–2000 period.
All-time Men's Dream Team (2021)
The XIs published by IFFHS cover the 1901–2020 period.
Women's winners
In 2017, IFFHS started to nominate a world team of the year.[196]
| Player | Apps | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Wendie Renard |
7 | 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 |
| Lucy Bronze |
6 | 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2025 |
| Aitana Bonmatí |
5 | 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 |
| Dzsenifer Marozsán |
4 | 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 |
| Alex Morgan |
2017, 2018, 2019, 2022 | |
| Sarah Bouhaddi |
3 | 2017, 2018, 2020 |
| Pernille Harder |
2017, 2018, 2020 | |
| Sam Kerr |
2017, 2021, 2023 | |
| Alexia Putellas |
2021, 2022, 2025 | |
| Christiane Endler |
2 | 2021, 2022 |
| Ada Hegerberg |
2018, 2019 | |
| Amandine Henry |
2018, 2019 | |
| Jennifer Hermoso |
2021, 2023 | |
| Saki Kumagai |
2018, 2020 | |
| Lieke Martens |
2017, 2021 | |
| Lena Oberdorf |
2022, 2023 | |
| Alexandra Popp |
2020, 2022 | |
| Caroline Graham Hansen |
2021, 2024 | |
| Salma Paralluelo |
2023, 2024 | |
| Leah Williamson |
2022, 2025 |
All-time Women's Dream Team (2021)
.jpg)
The World Youth (U20) Team
_(cropped).jpg)
The award was introduced in 2020.
Men's winners
| Player | Apps | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Eduardo Camavinga |
3 | 2020, 2021, 2022 |
| Jude Bellingham |
2021, 2022, 2023 | |
| Jamal Musiala |
2021, 2022, 2023 | |
| Warren Zaïre-Emery |
2023, 2024, 2025 | |
| Rodrygo |
2 | 2020, 2021 |
| Ansu Fati |
2020, 2022 | |
| Pedri |
2021, 2022 | |
| Nuno Mendes |
2021, 2022 | |
| Gavi |
2022, 2023 | |
| Alejandro Garnacho |
2023, 2024 | |
| Lamine Yamal |
2024, 2025 | |
| Arda Güler |
2024, 2025 | |
| Pau Cubarsí |
2024, 2025 | |
| Guillaume Restes |
2024, 2025 |
.jpg)
Women's winners
| Player | Apps | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Linda Caicedo |
5 | 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 |
| Vicky López |
4 | 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 |
 Melchie Dumornay |
3 | 2021, 2022, 2023 |
| Cata Coll |
2 | 2020, 2021 |
| Lena Oberdorf |
2020, 2021 | |
| Mary Fowler |
2021, 2023 | |
| Meritxell Font |
2022, 2023 | |
| Andrea Medina |
2022, 2023 | |
| Salma Paralluelo |
2022, 2023 | |
| Tarciane |
2022, 2023 | |
| Gisele Thompson |
2024, 2025 |
The World's Best Club Coach
Men's winners
| Coach | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|
| José Mourinho |
4 | 2004, 2005, 2010, 2012 |
| Carlo Ancelotti |
2007, 2014, 2022, 2024 | |
| Pep Guardiola |
3 | 2009, 2011, 2023 |
| Marcello Lippi |
2 | 1996, 1998 |
| Ottmar Hitzfeld |
1997, 2001 | |
| Carlos Bianchi |
2000, 2003 | |
| Alex Ferguson |
1999, 2008 | |
| Zinedine Zidane |
2017, 2018 | |
| Luis Enrique |
2015, 2025 |
Women's winners
| Year | Winner | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Jean-Luc Vasseur[218] |
Lyon |
| 2021 | Lluís Cortés[219] |
Barcelona |
| 2022 | Sonia Bompastor[220] |
Lyon |
| 2023 | Jonatan Giráldez[221] |
Barcelona |
| 2024 | Jonatan Giráldez[222] |
Barcelona |
| 2025 | Renée Slegers[223] |
Arsenal |
The World's Best National Coach
Men's winners
| Coach | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Vicente del Bosque |
4 | 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013 |
| Joachim Löw |
2 | 2014, 2017 |
| Fernando Santos |
2016, 2019 | |
| Didier Deschamps |
2018, 2020 | |
| Lionel Scaloni |
2022, 2023 | |
| Luis de la Fuente |
2024, 2025 |
_(cropped).jpg)
Women's winners
| Year | Winner | National team |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Sarina Wiegman[225] |
Netherlands |
| 2021 | Bev Priestman[226] |
Canada |
| 2022 | Sarina Wiegman[227] |
England |
| 2023 | Sarina Wiegman[228] |
England |
| 2024 | Emma Hayes[229] |
United States |
| 2025 | Sarina Wiegman[230] |
England |
The World's Best Referee
.jpg)
Men's winners
Felix Brych was awarded the prize for Men's Referee of the Decade 2011–20.
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 1987 | Romualdo Filho[231] |
| 1988 | Michel Vautrot[231] |
| 1989 | Michel Vautrot[231] |
| 1990 | José Roberto Wright[231] |
| 1991 | Peter Mikkelsen[231] |
| 1992 | Aron Schmidhuber[231] |
| 1993 | Peter Mikkelsen[231] |
| 1994 | Sándor Puhl[231] |
| 1995 | Sándor Puhl[231] |
| 1996 | Sándor Puhl[231] |
| 1997 | Sándor Puhl[231] |
| 1998 | Pierluigi Collina[231] |
| 1999 | Pierluigi Collina[231] |
| 2000 | Pierluigi Collina[231] |
| 2001 | Pierluigi Collina[231] |
| 2002 | Pierluigi Collina[231] |
| 2003 | Pierluigi Collina[231] |
| 2004 | Markus Merk[231] |
| 2005 | Markus Merk[231] |
| 2006 | Horacio Elizondo[231] |
| 2007 | Markus Merk[231] |
| 2008 | Roberto Rosetti[231] |
| 2009 |  Massimo Busacca[231] |
| 2010 | Howard Webb[231] |
| 2011 | Viktor Kassai[231] |
| 2012 | Pedro Proença[231] |
| 2013 | Howard Webb[231] |
| 2014 | Nicola Rizzoli[231] |
| 2015 | Nicola Rizzoli[231] |
| 2016 | Mark Clattenburg[231] |
| 2017 | Felix Brych[231] |
| 2018 | Néstor Pitana[231] |
| 2019 |  Damir Skomina[231] |
| 2020 | Daniele Orsato[231] |
| 2021 | Felix Brych[231] |
| 2022 | Szymon Marciniak[232] |
| 2023 | Szymon Marciniak[233] |
| 2024 | François Letexier[234] |
| 2025 | Clément Turpin[235] |
| Referee | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Pierluigi Collina |
6 | 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 |
| Sándor Puhl |
4 | 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 |
| Markus Merk |
3 | 2004, 2005, 2007 |
| Michel Vautrot |
2 | 1988, 1989 |
| Peter Mikkelsen |
1991, 1993 | |
| Howard Webb |
2010, 2013 | |
| Nicola Rizzoli |
2014, 2015 | |
| Felix Brych |
2017, 2021 | |
| Szymon Marciniak |
2022, 2023 |
Women's winners
Bibiana Steinhaus was awarded the prize for Women's Referee of the Decade 2011–20.
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Jenny Palmqvist[236] |
| 2013 | Bibiana Steinhaus[236] |
| 2014 | Bibiana Steinhaus[236] |
| 2015 |  Kateryna Monzul[236] |
| 2016 | Katalin Kulcsar[236] |
| 2017 | Bibiana Steinhaus[236] |
| 2018 | Bibiana Steinhaus[236] |
| 2019 | Stéphanie Frappart[236] |
| 2020 | Stéphanie Frappart[236] |
| 2021 | Stéphanie Frappart[236] |
| 2022 | Stéphanie Frappart[237] |
| 2023 | Stéphanie Frappart[238] |
| 2024 | Rebecca Welch[239] |
| 2025 | Maria Sole Ferrieri Caputi[240] |
| Referee | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Stéphanie Frappart |
5 | 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 |
| Bibiana Steinhaus |
4 | 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018 |
