The UEFA Best Player in Europe Award is an association football award given to the footballer playing for a football club in Europe that is considered the best in the previous season. The award, created in 2011 by UEFA, is aimed at reviving the European Footballer of the Year Award (Ballon d'Or),[1][2] which was merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year Award in 2010 to become the FIFA Ballon d'Or.[3] It also replaced the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year award.[4]
The inaugural award was won by Lionel Messi in 2011.[5]
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According to UEFA, the award "recognise[s] the best player, irrespective of his nationality, playing for a football club within the territory of a UEFA member association during the previous season."[1] Players are judged by their performances in all competitions, domestic and international, and at club and national team levels throughout the season.[1]
The award's voting format is a return to the old Ballon d'Or, which was decided purely by journalists.[2]
In the first round of voting, 53 sports journalists representing each of the UEFA national associations provide a list of their three best-ranked players from one to three, with the first player receiving five points, the second three points and the third one point. The three players with the most points overall are shortlisted.[1]
The final vote, also by the journalists, then takes place live via electronic voting during the presentation ceremony.[1]
Winner Shortlisted
| Rank | Player | First round[4] | Final round[5] | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lionel Messi | – | 39 | Barcelona |
| 2 | Xavi Hernández | – | 11 | Barcelona |
| 3 | Cristiano Ronaldo | – | 3 | Real Madrid |
| 4 | Andrés Iniesta | 33 | – | Barcelona |
| 5 | Radamel Falcao | 17 | – | Porto |
| 6 | Wayne Rooney | 15 | – | Manchester United |
| 7 | Nemanja Vidić | 5 | – | Manchester United |
| 8 | Zlatan Ibrahimović | 4 | – | Milan |
| 9 | Gerard Piqué | 4 | – | Barcelona |
| 10 | Manuel Neuer | 3 | – | Schalke 04 |