The Qatar World Cup is nearly here, so HITC Football has looked at which players have won the most Man of the Match awards. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are in the top 11.
FIFA has recognised the best performer in each World Cup match since the 2002 edition in Japan and South Korea. The governing body’s Technical Study Group (TSG) initially decided who received the award. But it opened the award up to be voted on by supporters in 2010.
Fans have been able to vote on the award throughout the past three tournaments in South Africa, Brazil and Russia. FIFA first recognised a player’s outstanding individual contribution as a marketing exercise. But it opted to continue handing the title out from Germany 2006.
Which players have won the most Man of the Match awards at the World Cup?
Messi and Ronaldo head to Qatar 2022 as two of the three players to win the most Man of the Match awards at the World Cup. FIFA has given the Argentina and Portugal legends, as well as Netherlands icon Arjen Robben, the title on six occasions across their appearances.
Robben was the first of the trio to earn the title during the 2006 tournament in Germany. FIFA also recognised his performances as Oranje reached the final in 2010 and during the 2014 tournament in Brazil. Messi and Ronaldo received their first awards in South Africa.
Winning a single Man of the Match award at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar could see either of Messi or Ronaldo boast the most titles. A single individual award will also see either of the pair become the first player to receive the title at four editions of the FIFA tournament.
Uruguay forward Luis Suarez may also have the chance to become the first player to win a Man of the Match award at four World Cups if he plays and excels in Qatar. The striker has earned recognition for his performances five times across matches at three editions so far.
Suarez is the only player to have received five awards behind the six of Messi, Ronaldo and Robben currently. Seven players, meanwhile, have received four Man of the Match awards across the five tournaments where it has been available prior to the 2022 edition in Qatar.
FIFA has recognised seven players for their individual efforts on four occasions
FIFA has recognised Eden Hazard of Belgium, Japan’s Keisuke Honda, James Rodriguez of Colombia, Miroslav Klose and Thomas Muller of Germany, South Korea’s Park Ji-Sung and Wesley Sneijder of the Netherlands four times for their individual displays at a World Cup.
Ji-Sung is the only one of those seven to have earned his Man of the Match awards across three tournaments. Sneijder, meanwhile, is the only one of those seven to have earned his awards during just one tournament. He set the record for the most at one edition in 2010.
Klose and Ji-Sung were also among the first players that FIFA awarded a Man of the Match title to. It recognised them for their performances at the 2002 edition in Japan and South Korea. Germany finished second after beating co-hosts South Korea 1-0 in the semi-finals.
Hazard and Rodriguez are the only two of the seven players to win four Man of the Match awards to earn recognition at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Both also earned awards at the 2014 tournament in Brazil. Klose, on the other hand, won his last award during 2006.
Wesley Sneijder set the record for the most awards at one tournament in 2010
Sneijder was sublime as the Netherlands reached the World Cup final at South Africa 2010. But the midfielder could not help Oranje avoid a third defeat in a final after losing to Spain. Andres Iniesta scored the only goal of the showpiece in Johannesburg in the 116th minute.
The Netherlands took the silver spoon in South Africa after Sneijder pulled the strings over seven appearances. He ended the summer on five goals and an assist from midfield. Those strikes were enough for him to finish the World Cup in a four-way tie for the Golden Boot.
Fans lapped up what Sneijder showed at the first World Cup to be held on African soil. FIFA gave him four Man of the Match awards at the first tournament where supporters voted on the winner. No player had previously won more than three titles over a single tournament.
FIFA’s Technical Study Group awarded Brazil icon Rivaldo three Man of the Match awards at the 2002 World Cup. The TSG also awarded Italy legend Andrea Pirlo three titles during Germany 2006. Brazil and Italy also won their last World Cup titles during 2002 and 2006.
Messi matched Sneijder’s record of four Man of the Match awards at a single World Cup in 2014. Fans flocked to vote for the Argentina icon after he carried his country to the final in Brazil. But the 35-year-old has not yet helped La Albiceleste win their first title since 1986.
Antoine Griezmann’s performances during the last World Cup in Russia four years ago saw fans flock for his name as France won their second FIFA title. The forward earned the Man of the Match award over three of his seven games. He also hit four goals and three assists.
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