The 3 Biggest Awards Every Footballer Wants To Win
Your lowdown on the most prestigious football awards in the game (forgive the pun!)
Pic: Unsplash/ Tom Grimbert
1) The Ballon d’Or
France Football presents this annual football award. It was first awarded in 1956, and is given to whichever player they feel has performed best over the year. Luka Modric was the last player to win the Ballon d’Or. He finally broke a 10-year streak in which it was only won by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Ronaldo has had the most nominations, with 15 in total!
2) The Golden Boot
The Golden Boot is an award given to the player with most goals in a particular league, continent or the World Cup. Harry Kane, who scored six goals, was the most recent winner in 2018. Past famous winners have included Gary Lineker and Ronaldo. The first ever winner was Guillermo Stabile back in 1930!
3) FIFA Player Of The Year (Puskas Awards)
Now know as the FIFA Puskas Awards, this is given by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). It is given to the player that has scored the most impressive or beautiful goal of the year. The official website describes the criteria as ‘fairly simple’, adding that it should be an “aesthetically beautiful goal, awarded without distinction of championship, gender or nationality, scored without the result of luck or a mistake and in support of Fair Play.”