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The FIFA Best Awards are annual accolades presented by FIFA to recognize outstanding achievements in football. Established in 2016, the awards celebrate the best players, coaches, and goalkeepers in both men's and women's football. Categories include Best Men's Player, Best Women's Player, and Best Coach, among others. The winners are determined through a voting process that includes national team coaches, captains, media representatives, and fans.
Past winners of the FIFA Best Awards include notable players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who have each won multiple times. In women's football, players like Marta and Ada Hegerberg have also received the award. Recent winners include Aitana Bonmatí, who won the women's player award for three consecutive years, and Ousmane Dembélé, who was recognized as the best men's player in 2025.
FIFA Best winners are selected through a voting process that involves national team coaches, captains, media members, and fans. Each group has a weighted vote that contributes to the final decision. The process ensures a broad representation of opinions from various stakeholders in football. The votes are collected and tallied, and the winners are announced during a ceremony, which celebrates their achievements over the past year.
Sarina Wiegman was awarded the Best FIFA Women's Coach for her exceptional leadership of the England national team, particularly for guiding the Lionesses to victory in Euro 2025. Her tactical acumen, ability to develop players, and success in major tournaments played a significant role in earning her this prestigious recognition. Wiegman's influence has been pivotal in elevating women's football in England.
Awards like the FIFA Best can significantly enhance a player's career by boosting their visibility and marketability. Recognition at such a high level often leads to increased endorsement deals, improved contract negotiations, and greater recognition from fans and clubs. Additionally, winning prestigious awards can serve as validation of a player's hard work and talent, motivating them to maintain or elevate their performance.
The FIFA Best Awards and the Ballon d'Or are both prestigious honors in football, but they differ in their selection processes and history. The Ballon d'Or, established in 1956, was traditionally awarded by France Football and focuses solely on individual performance. In contrast, the FIFA Best Awards, launched in 2016, involve a broader voting base and include categories for coaches and goalkeepers. Both awards celebrate excellence in football but reflect different aspects of the sport.
The criteria for goalkeeper awards, such as the Best FIFA Goalkeeper, include individual performance metrics like saves, clean sheets, and overall contributions to the team's success. Goalkeepers are evaluated on their ability to command the area, distribute the ball effectively, and make crucial saves during matches. Their impact in high-stakes games, such as finals or critical league matches, also plays a significant role in the selection process.
Women's football has seen significant evolution in recent years, marked by increased visibility, investment, and participation. Major tournaments like the FIFA Women's World Cup and UEFA Women's Euro have attracted record audiences. Clubs are investing more in women's teams, leading to improved training facilities and professional contracts. Players like Aitana Bonmatí and Sarina Wiegman are at the forefront of this growth, inspiring future generations and changing perceptions of women's sports.
Female coaches often face challenges such as gender bias, limited opportunities, and a lack of representation in leadership roles within football. Despite progress, many women's teams still struggle for resources and support compared to men's teams. Female coaches may also encounter skepticism regarding their abilities and qualifications. However, successful coaches like Sarina Wiegman are breaking barriers, showing that women can lead at the highest levels of the sport.
Social media plays a crucial role in sports awards by providing a platform for fans to engage with the events in real time. It allows for widespread sharing of highlights, reactions, and discussions around nominees and winners. Social media can influence public perception and increase visibility for players and coaches. Furthermore, fan voting components of awards often leverage social media to encourage participation, making it a vital tool for modern sports recognition.
