FIFA World Cup Man of The Match Winners List
At the FIFA World Cup, there are quite a few awards handed out throughout the course of the tournament. While a lot of attention goes to the trophies handed out at the very end of the tournament, such as the Golden Ball or Golden Boot awards, there is one award handed out after every World Cup match. This award is known as the Man of the Match Award, and it has been handed out after every World Cup match since 2002.
Creation of the Man of the Match Award
FIFA began handing out a Man of the Match Award after every World Cup match starting in 2002. FIFA wanted to begin to create more excitement around each individual game and give out more recognition. For the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, the Man of the Match was chosen by the FIFA Technical Study Group, so the award was more official. Starting in 2010, FIFA decided to get their fans more involved in the matches, so the Man of the Match was now chosen by an online poll posted on FIFA’s website for each game. This same system was used for the 2014, 2018, 2022 World Cups.
Notable Man of the Match Award Winners
The players with the Most Man of the Match awards are some of the most talented footballers in history. Most notable, all-time greats Lionel Messi of Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal lead the way with the most FIFA World Cup Man of the Match awards won, with 11 and 7, respectively. As for the most awards won at a single tournament, Lionel Messi at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar won five Man of the Match awards. When it comes to the most award wins by a single nation, Brazil leads the way with 25 Man of the Match Awards.
Most Man of the Match Wins in a Single World Cup
- Lionel Messi (5 Wins): 2022 Qatar World Cup
- Lionel Messi (4 Wins): 2014 Brazil World Cup
- Wesley Sneijder (4 Wins): 2010 South Africa World Cup
- Rivaldo (3 Wins): 2002 South Korea/Japan World Cup
- Andrea Pirlo (3 Wins): 2006 Germany World Cup
- Antoine Griezmann (3 Wins): 2018 Russia World Cup
Most Man of the Match Wins by Player
- Lionel Messi (Argentina): 11 Wins (2010, 2014, 2018, 2022)
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal): 7 Wins (2010, 2014, 2018, 2022)
- Arjen Robben (Netherlands): 6 Wins (2006, 2010, 2014)
- Kylian Mbappé (France): 5 Wins (2018, 2022)
- Luka Modrić (Croatia): 5 Wins (2018, 2022)
- Luis Suárez (Uruguay): 5 Wins (2010, 2014, 2018)
- Antoine Griezmann (France): 4 Wins (2018, 2022)
- Eden Hazard (Belgium): 4 Wins (2014, 2018)
- Keisuke Honda (Japan): 4 Wins (2010, 2014)
- Harry Kane (England): 4 Wins (2018, 2022)
- James Rodríguez (Colombia): 4 Wins (2014, 2018)
- Miroslav Klose (Germany): 4 Wins (2002, 2006)
- Neymar (Brazil): 4 Wins (2014, 2018, 2022)
- Park Ji-sung (South Korea): 4 Wins (2002, 2006, 2010)
- Thomas Müller (Germany): 4 Wins (2010, 2014)
- Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands): 4 Wins (2010)
Most Man of the Match Wins by Country
- Brazil: 25 Wins
- Germany: 23 Wins
- France: 22 Wins
- Argentina: 21 Wins
- Spain: 18 Wins
- England: 17 Wins
- Netherlands: 16 Wins
- Mexico: 14 Wins
- Portugal: 14 Wins
- United States: 13 Wins
FAQ
What is the Man of the Match award in the FIFA World Cup?
In the FIFA World Cup, the Man of the Match Award is given out to the most outstanding player in every match held at the tournament, from the Group Stage to the Final. The award was first introduced into the World Cup in 2002, and was retitled the “Player of the Match” Award in 2022.
Who has won the most Man of the Match awards in the FIFA World Cup?
Lionel Messi of Argentina has won the most Man of the Match awards at the FIFA World Cup, with 11. Messi won Man of the Match awards in four of the last five World Cups he participated in. He leads Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, who has the second-most FIFA World Cup Man of the Match awards with seven.