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SteemSports Presenter: @datageek

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SteemSports Editor/Writer: @writingamigo

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In this post I pick up data of all winners of the FIFA mens player of the year. The name of the award was changed to Fifa Ballon d'or in 2010 and in 2016 it was changed to The best Fifa Men's player.

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Messi the GOAT??

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All Winners:

Year	Name	Country	Team	FA	Age	Position
1991	Lothar Mattaus	Germany	Internazionale	Serie A	30	Midfield
1992	Marco van Basten	Netherlands	Milan	Serie A	28	Forward
1993	Roberto Baggio	Italy	Juventus	Serie A	26	Forward
1994	Romário	Brazil	Barcelona	La Liga	28	Forward
1995	George Weah	Liberia	Milan	Serie A	29	Forward
1996	Ronaldo	Brazil	Barcelona	La Liga	20	Forward
1997	Ronaldo	Brazil	Internazionale	Serie A	21	Forward
1998	Zinedine Zidane	France	Juventus	Serie A	26	Midfield
1999	Rivaldo	Brazil	Barcelona	La Liga	27	Midfield
2000	Zinedine Zidane	France	Juventus	Serie A	28	Midfield
2001	Luís Figo	Portugal	Real Madrid	La Liga	29	Midfield
2002	Ronaldo	Brazil	Real Madrid	La Liga	26	Forward
2003	Zinedine Zidane	France	Real Madrid	La Liga	31	Midfield
2004	Ronaldinho	Brazil	Barcelona	La Liga	24	Forward
2005	Ronaldinho	Brazil	Barcelona	La Liga	25	Forward
2006	Fabio Cannavaro	Italy	Real Madrid	La Liga	32	Defender
2007	Kaká	Brazil	Milan	Serie A	25	Midfield
2008	Cristiano Ronaldo	Portugal	Manchester United	Epl	23	Forward
2009	Lionel Messi	Argentina	Barcelona	La Liga	22	Forward
2010	Lionel Messi	Argentina	Barcelona	La Liga	23	Forward
2011	Lionel Messi	Argentina	Barcelona	La Liga	24	Forward
2012	Lionel Messi	Argentina	Barcelona	La Liga	25	Forward
2013	Cristiano Ronaldo	Portugal	Real Madrid	La Liga	28	Forward
2014	Cristiano Ronaldo	Portugal	Real Madrid	La Liga	29	Forward
2015	Lionel Messi	Argentina	Barcelona	La Liga	28	Forward
2016	Cristiano Ronaldo	Portugal	Real Madrid	La Liga	31	Forward

_Source:FIFA

Messi has won it an astonishing 5 times, I would not bet against him picking up a couple more before he retires.

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Forwards Dominate

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As expected, forward players have picked up the award on 18 occasions. Fabio Cannavaro is the only defender to ever win it -he won it in 2006 after leading Italy to an impressive world cup win. No goalkeeper has ever won the award, Oliver Kahn was runner up in 2002 while Manuel Neuer was 2nd runner up in 2016

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Europe is King

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All players to have made it to the top 3 from 1991 to 2016 played for a European club at the time of receiving the award. They all played for teams from the Big five leagues (La Liga, BPL, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1).

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Youngest and Oldest Winner

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Ronaldo Dilema is the youngest player to have ever won the award - he won it in 1996 when he was only 20. At 31, Christiano Ronaldo is the oldest player to have won it

_{Google Images}

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Barca Stars

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_{Google Images}

In 2010, Barcelona made history by becoming the only club to produce the top 3 players in world football in the same year.

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Unlucky Xavi

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Xavi is the only player to have made the top 3 on 3 occasions without ever winning.He was 2nd runner up in 2009,2010 and 2011.

_{Google Images}

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Messi and Ronaldo have dominated this decade, who do you think is going to dominate the next decade. Let me know in the comments.

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