International Football Hall of Champions

The International Football Hall of Fame, also known by its acronym as IFHOC or Hall of Champions, was FIFA's hall of fame for professional footballers from all over the world.^[1] It was established as the only official FIFA-recognized hall of fame to the world football in 1998. The Hall of Champions was conceived by the International Sports and Entertainment Concepts (ISEC) in Atlanta and the awards were presented at the FIFA World Player of the Year Gala, annually. The eligibility for the Hall of Champions was based on both sporting success and a consistent contribution to the positive image of football.^[2]

Its last induction was 2001. Afterwards it has been abandoned. Altogether 21 players, 12 coaches/administrators and seven football teams were honoured (excluding Tele Santana and Boca Juniors, who were meant to be awarded in 2002).

FIFA already announced in 1997 the launch of its own hall of fame to be hosted in London. The International Sports and Entertainment Concepts would sponsor the hall of fame with the mission to create a football experience and present a tribute to the history of football.

However, a few months later on 27 November 1997 a newly founded organisation, the International Football Hall of Fame by the PFA also announced its 25 first inductees and the plans for a museum to be built in Manchester.^[3][4][5]

The International Football Hall of Champions was finally launched at FIFA's annual awards gala on 12 January 1998 in Paris, when the first 10 players were inducted. Another five were inducted at the 1999 awards gala, and a further four in the 2000 awards gala.

In January 2000, news reports indicated that plans to locate the Museum of the Hall of Champions in Paris had fallen through and negotiations were underway to move it to London. Then the Hall of Champions disappeared from the news, and its official website was no longer updated after a posting stating that Italy's Giuseppe Meazza and Uruguay's José Leandro Andrade were the last inductees in 2001.

The press releases and news stories on the FIFA awards ceremony of January, 2001, unlike those of previous years, did not carry anything about the Hall of Champions. Although FIFA officially backed the Hall of Champions over its first three years, apparently the project had fallen into its disfavour. Again there were no press releases or news about Hall of Champions selections in 2002, and the FIFA awards dinner of January, 2002 also came and went without mention of it.

It became clear that the Hall of Champions has been abandoned altogether when FIFA's executive committee announced that at its meeting of 9 March 2002 "The Spanish Football Federation was asked to pursue a project on FIFA's behalf for the establishment of a new International Football Hall of Fame in Valencia." And on 26 May 2002, FIFA revealed that its Executive Committee had decided that "the site of the FIFA Hall of Fame will be in Valencia, Spain" with a planned inauguration of November, 2004.^[6] The Hall of Fame would be run as a joint venture by FIFA, the Spanish Football Association and the Province of Valencia, and FIFA will not bear any of the costs.

For reasons not explained, the Hall of Champions became defunct after three induction ceremonies. In total 21 players were honoured, including the two scheduled to be inducted at the aborted 2001 ceremony.

The first class of inductees took place on 12 January of 1998, at Disneyland in Paris and it was met with great success. Ten legendary footballers who had retired for at least five years prior to the event were inducted.

This time the 1999 ceremony continued the tradition of honoring its inductees during the 1999 FIFA World Player Gala in Barcelona. For the second year in a row, the Hall of Champions shared the spotlight as the biggest football celebrities gathered together to recognize the best achievements and personalities in world football. Five more players were inducted on 1 February 1999. Johan Cruyff and Franz Beckenbauer, already hall of famers, presented the five newly inducted footballers at the gala.^[7][8]

During the January 2000 Induction Ceremony, Didi, Zico, Van Basten and George Best were inducted, accepting their induction award from Michel Platini and João Havelange.^[9] Barcelona FC and Italy national team were also elected.^[10]

The ceremony took place at the Palais des Congrès in Brussels and included several awards presented by Foot Magazine.

Meazza and Andrande, alongside coach Vittorio Pozzo were officially inducted into the Hall of Champions on December 11, 2000. However, the cermenony in early 2000 never took place.

Boca Juniors was elected as the new club at the xpense of Manchester United with 33% over 30% at the poll. ^[11] Candidate coaches were: Ernst Happel, Sepp Herberger, Tele Santana, Helmut Schön and Jock Stein. Santana won the ballot with 47%.^[12] Diego Maradona's goal against England in the 1986 World Cup was voted as the fans' favourite.^[13]

Gabriel Batistuta was also voted (25%) as the active player more likely to enter the Hall of Fame after retiring. Zinedine Zidane came second with 20% and Rivaldo third with 19%. The ceremony again was not held.

According to a statement appearing on the official Hall of Champions website: "The Hall of Champions will celebrate the lives and careers of the great figures of football. Through its inductees, the Hall will promote not only the values of excellence and achievement, but also those of sportsmanship and fairplay. Eligibility for the Hall of Champions is based on both sporting success and a consistent contribution to the positive image of the game of football. To select the inductees, the Hall of Champions has drawn on the knowledge of a panel of esteemed football journalists from around the world."

The Rules for Eligibility and Election to the Hall of Champions according to its website were as below:

• Candidates must have completed a minimum of 10 years of active participation in international competition play and been retired from active play for a minimum of 5 calendar years.
• Candidates must have maintained a high level of sportsmanship, character, public morals, conduct and integrity, free from conviction of any criminal activity and/or guilt of misconduct both on and off the field detrimental to the positive image and integrity of football.
• In the event of disciplinary action in the form of long-term ban or suspension having been imposed by any national or international governing body, the approval of FIFA, and the applicable Confederation(s) and National Federation(s) in each country where the transgression(s) or infraction(s) occurred, must be granted in writing to the Steering Committee of the IFHOC before the eligibility for nomination will be granted.

A total of 10 players were inaugural inductees in 1998.

ISEC and FIFA also selected the most memorable matches in history for induction to the Hall of Fame, via a fans' poll.

ISEC and FIFA also selected the most beautiful goals in history for induction to the Hall of Fame, via a fans' poll.

There were 27 selectors,^[14] most of them football experts and journlists. The publication they worked for at the time is in brackets:

• Francesco Aguilar Arias  Spain (Web Site: www.elmundodeportivo.es)
• John Baete  Belgium (Foot Magazine)
• Sergio Di Cesare  Italy (Web Site: www.gazetta.it)
• Christian Charcossey  France (Web Site: www.afp.com)
• Denis Chaumier  France (L'Equipe)
• Peter Christoph  Switzerland (Web Site: www.sport-online.ch)
• Cees Van Cuilenborg ( Netherlands (Web Site: www.vi.nl)
• Gerard Ernault  France (France Football)
• Jose Carlos Freitas  Portugal (Web Site: www.a-bola.pt)
• Paul Gardner {[USA}} (Web Site: www.socceramerica.com)
• Mark Gleeson  South Africa (Web site: kickoff.24.com)
• Gerd Graus  Germany (SID)
• Jaap de Groot  Netherlands (Web Site: www.telegraaf.nl)
• Hedi Hamel  France (Afrique Football)
• Per Hoyer Hansen  Denmark (Tips-Bladet)
• Jan Hansson  Sweden (Web Site: www.gp.se)
• Rainier Holzschuh  Germany (Web Site: www.kicker.de)
• Jerry Langdon  United States (Web Site: www.usatoday.com)
• Emmanuel Maradas  England (Web Site: www.sportscheduler.co.sz)
• Juan Pedro Martínez  Spain (Web Site: www.donbalon.es)
• Franklin Morales  Uruguay (TV "Estadio Uno", Semanano "Tres")
• Les Murray  Australia (SBS Australia)
• Alfredo T. Ogawa  Brazil (Web Site: www.placar.com.br)
• Yoshiyuki Osumii  Japan
• Keir Radnedge  England (World Sport Service)
• Martin Tyler  England (Web Site: www.skysports.co.uk)
• Tom West  United States (Web Site: www.cnnsi.com)

ISEC planned to build the Hall of Champions museum in London. After the International Hall of Fame was announced, ISEC and FIFA explored the option of Paris, but their attempt was again not met with success.

In 2002 five days before the start of the World Cup, FIFA announced plans to open its own FIFA Hall of Fame in Valencia, Spain with a planned inauguration of November, 2004. It was an announcement that separated FIFA's future from ISEC's awards. The hall would be built and run as a joint venture between FIFA, Spain's football federation and the municipality of Valencia.^[15] The museum was never built.

A decade after the Class of 2001, the creation of the Salón De La Fama Del Futbol Internacional was announced in Pachuca, the birthplace of Mexican football. The Hall of Fame would be hosted in a newly built museum. In June 2011 the first players were inducted (Mexican and international) and ever since it has been the only hall of fame sanctioned by FIFA. The most recent class was in 2024.

• FIFA World Cup awards

• Past inductions (Photos)
• Induction Ceremonies

• Official website
• Official website on wayback machine
• Hall of Fame of Soccer Mexico and World (RSSF)