The South American Footballer of the Year (Spanish: Futbolista del año en Sudamérica) is an annual association football award presented to the best footballer in South America over the previous calendar year. The award was conceived by Venezuelan newspaper El Mundo, whom awarded it from 1971 to 1985. Uruguayan newspaper El País took over from 1986 onwards. The inaugural winner was Tostão of Cruzeiro.[1]
Originally, journalists could vote for South American players at any club around the world; Mario Kempes was the first player to win the award while playing in a non-South American league. In 1986, there was a change in the rules to prohibit players not playing in South American leagues to win the award. Since 1998, the award could be won by South American players playing their club football in Mexico due to the participation of Mexican clubs in the Copa Libertadores. Three players have won the award three times each: Elías Figueroa, Zico and Carlos Tevez. Figueroa and Tevez are the only players to have won the award three times in a row; they won the award from 1974 to 1976 and 2003 to 2005, respectively. With 13 awards, Argentine and Brazilian players are tied for having won the award the most. Argentine club River Plate have had the most winners with seven awards. The most recent recipient of the award is Carlos Sánchez of River Plate, who won the award in 2015.
Winners
Elías Figueroa, who won the award three times in a row in 1974, 1975 and 1976.
Zico, who won the award three times in 1977, 1981 and 1982.
Cafu won the award in 1994.
The youngest winner is
Javier Saviola, who won the award in 1999 at 18.
Romário won in 2000. At 34, he is the oldest winner of the award.
Carlos Tevez who won the award three times in a row in 2003, 2004 and 2005.
Neymar won the award twice in 2011 and 2012.
By El Mundo
By El País
By player
| Player |
Total |
Years |
 Elías Figueroa |
3 |
1974, 1975, 1976 |
 Zico |
3 |
1977, 1981, 1982 |
 Carlos Tevez |
3 |
2003, 2004, 2005 |
| Diego Maradona |
2 |
1979, 1980 |
 Enzo Francescoli |
2 |
1984, 1995 |
 Carlos Valderrama |
2 |
1987, 1993 |
| Juan Sebastián Verón |
2 |
2008, 2009 |
| Neymar |
2 |
2011, 2012 |
| Tostão |
1 |
1971 |
 Teófilo Cubillas |
1 |
1972 |
| Pelé |
1 |
1973 |
| Mario Kempes |
1 |
1978 |
| Sócrates |
1 |
1983 |
 Romerito |
1 |
1985 |
| Antonio Alzamendi |
1 |
1986 |
| Rubén Paz |
1 |
1988 |
| Bebeto |
1 |
1989 |
| Raúl Vicente Amarilla |
1 |
1990 |
| Oscar Ruggeri |
1 |
1991 |
| Raí |
1 |
1992 |
| Cafu |
1 |
1994 |
| José Luis Chilavert |
1 |
1996 |
| Marcelo Salas |
1 |
1997 |
| Martín Palermo |
1 |
1998 |
| Javier Saviola |
1 |
1999 |
| Romario |
1 |
2000 |
| Juan Román Riquelme |
1 |
2001 |
| José Cardozo |
1 |
2002 |
| Matías Fernández |
1 |
2006 |
| Salvador Cabañas |
1 |
2007 |
| Andrés D'Alessandro |
1 |
2010 |
| Ronaldinho |
1 |
2013 |
| Teófilo Gutiérrez |
1 |
2014 |
| Carlos Sanchez |
1 |
2015 |
By nationality
By club
See also
References
- General
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- Specific
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External links
|
|
| El Mundo award |
|
| El Gráfico award |
|
| El País award |
|
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El Mundo (1971–1985)
América
Valencia
Bolivia (FBF)
Ecuador (FEF)
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