French Player of the Year

The French Player of the Year is an association football award presented annually by the French magazine France Football since 1959. Originally, only French players playing in France were eligible, but starting in 1996 French players playing abroad were in contention to win the trophy. Since 2001, former winners have elected the Player of the Year.[1]

Format

In 2023, France Football changed the format of its award by changing its time frame from the calendar year to the football season. They also decided to introduce a French Player of the Year award for women's footballers.[2]

Male winners

Year Player Club(s)
1959 Jules Sbroglia Angers
1960 Raymond Kopa Reims
1961 Mahi Khennane Rennes
1962 André Lerond Stade Français
1963 Yvon Douis Monaco
1964 Marcel Artelesa Monaco
1965 Philippe Gondet Nantes
1966 Philippe Gondet (2) Nantes
1967 Bernard Bosquier Saint-Étienne
1968 Bernard Bosquier (2) Saint-Étienne
1969 Hervé Revelli Saint-Étienne
1970 Georges Carnus Saint-Étienne
1971 Georges Carnus (2) Saint-Étienne
Marseille
1972 Marius Trésor Ajaccio
Marseille
1973 Georges Bereta Saint-Étienne
1974 Georges Bereta (2) Saint-Étienne
1975 Jean-Marc Guillou Angers
Nice
1976 Michel Platini Nancy
1977 Michel Platini (2) Nancy
1978 Jean Petit Monaco
1979 Maxime Bossis Nantes
1980 Jean-François Larios Saint-Étienne
1981 Maxime Bossis (2) Nantes
1982 Alain Giresse Bordeaux
1983 Alain Giresse Bordeaux
1984 Jean Tigana Bordeaux
1985 Luis Fernández Paris Saint-Germain
1986 Manuel Amoros Monaco
1987 Alain Giresse (3) Marseille
1988 Stéphane Paille Sochaux
1989 Jean-Pierre Papin Marseille
1990 Laurent Blanc Montpellier
1991 Jean-Pierre Papin (2) Marseille
1992 Alain Roche Auxerre
Paris Saint-Germain
1993 David Ginola Paris Saint-Germain
1994 Bernard Lama Paris Saint-Germain
1995 Vincent Guérin Paris Saint-Germain
1996 Didier Deschamps Juventus
1997 Lilian Thuram Parma
1998 Zinedine Zidane Juventus
1999 Sylvain Wiltord Bordeaux
2000 Thierry Henry Arsenal
2001 Patrick Vieira Arsenal
2002 Zinedine Zidane (2) Real Madrid
2003 Thierry Henry Arsenal
2004 Thierry Henry Arsenal
2005 Thierry Henry Arsenal
2006 Thierry Henry (5) Arsenal
2007 Franck Ribéry Marseille
2008 Franck Ribéry Bayern Munich
2009 Yoann Gourcuff Bordeaux
2010 Samir Nasri Arsenal
2011 Karim Benzema Real Madrid
2012 Karim Benzema Real Madrid
2013 Franck Ribéry (3) Bayern Munich
2014 Karim Benzema Real Madrid
2015 Blaise Matuidi Paris Saint-Germain
2016 Antoine Griezmann Atlético Madrid
2017 N'Golo Kanté Chelsea
2018 Kylian Mbappé Paris Saint-Germain
2019 Kylian Mbappé Paris Saint-Germain
2020 Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021 Karim Benzema (4) Real Madrid
Seasonal format replaced annual calendar format
2022–23 Kylian Mbappé (3) Paris Saint-Germain
2023–24 Kylian Mbappé (4) Paris Saint-Germain

Player of the Century

At the end of the 20th century, the magazine also voted on the French Player of the Century, won by Michel Platini.[1]

Rank Player Votes
1 Michel Platini 143
2 Zinedine Zidane 121
3 Raymond Kopa 88
4 Laurent Blanc 28
5 Just Fontaine 22
6 Marius Trésor 17
7 Alain Giresse 15
8 Jean-Pierre Papin 12
9 Didier Deschamps 9
10 Eric Cantona 8

Manager of the Year

Every year, the magazine elects the best French manager of the year. The jury is composed of former laureates.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Garin, Erik; Pierrend, José Luis (18 January 2018). "France – Footballer of the Year". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 8 October 2018. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  2. ^ "France Football innove pour ses trophées récompensant les meilleurs Français". L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 2024-05-19.