# Argentine Footballer of the Year

The Footballer of the Year of Argentina (in Spanish: Olimpia de Plata al Mejor Futbolista, that literally translates to "Silver Olimpia to the Best Footballer) is a yearly award given by the Argentine Sports Journalists' Circle (Círculo de Periodistas Deportivos de la República Argentina) as one of the Olimpia Awards, the most important sports award in Argentina.
The Olimpia is awarded in the sport of association football and, since 2008, is shared by the best player of the local league (who wins the Olimpia de Plata al Fútbol Local) and the best Argentine playing abroad (Olimpia de Plata al Fútbol del Exterior).
Up to 2008, the award was not shared, and was either given to the best player of Argentine nationality of the season (regardless if he plays in the local league or abroad), or to the best foreign footballer of the local league. It is unclear when Argentine footballers playing abroad and expatriate players in the country started being eligible. Mario Kempes in 1978 was the first Argentine to receive the award while playing abroad. Kempes was playing in the Spanish league for Valencia CF at the time, and had been a key player in the Argentina national team World Cup winning campaign of that year. On the other hand, Uruguayan Enzo Francescoli was the first foreign player to receive the award (in 1985, playing for River Plate).
Lionel Messi is the award's all-time record holder with sixteen wins, seven of which were in a row. Emiliano Martínez is the current (2024) holder of the award.

## Winners

All players and clubs are Argentine, unless otherwise noted.
| Ed. | Year | Player | Club | Achievement / Notes |
| 1 | 1970 | Héctor Yazalde | Independiente | Won the Torneo Metropolitano 1970. |
| 2 | 1971 | José Pastoriza | Independiente | Won the Torneo Metropolitano 1971. |
| 3 | 1972 | Ángel Bargas | Chacarita Juniors | |
| 4 | 1973 | Miguel Brindisi | Huracán | Won the Torneo Metropolitano 1973 |
| 5 | 1974 | Miguel Raimondo | Independiente | Won the 1974 Copa Libertadores and the 1974 Copa Interamericana. |
| 6 | 1975 | Héctor Scotta | San Lorenzo | Top scorer of the Torneo Metropolitano 1975 and the Torneo Nacional 1975. Top scorer in South America. |
| 7 | 1976 | Daniel Passarella | River Plate | Reached the final of the 1976 Copa Libertadores. |
| 8 | 1977 | Ubaldo Fillol | River Plate | Won the Torneo Metropolitano 1977 |
| 9 | 1978 | Mario Kempes | Valencia | Won the 1978 FIFA World Cup, best player and top scorer of the tournament. Won the Pichichi Trophy. Named South American Footballer of the Year and Onze d'Or. |
| 10 | 1979 | Diego Maradona | Argentinos Juniors | Won the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship (MVP), top goalscorer of the Torneo Metropolitano 1979 and Torneo Nacional 1979. Won Olimpia de Oro. Named South American Footballer of the Year. |
| 11 | 1980 | Diego Maradona | Argentinos Juniors | Top goalscorer of the Torneo Metropolitano 1980 and Torneo Nacional 1980. Named South American Footballer of the Year. |
| 12 | 1981 | Diego Maradona | Boca Juniors | Won the Torneo Metropolitano 1981 |
| 13 | 1982 | Hugo Gatti | Boca Juniors | |
| 14 | 1983 | Ricardo Bochini | Independiente | Won the Torneo Metropolitano 1983. |
| 15 | 1984 | Alberto Márcico | Ferro Carril Oeste | Won the Torneo Nacional 1984 |
| 16 | 1985 | Enzo Francescoli | River Plate | Although his team did not win the championship in 1985, Francescoli became the first foreign player to be named Footballer of the Year of Argentina. |
| 17 | 1986 | Diego Maradona | Napoli | Captained Argentina to win the FIFA World Cup, named best player of the tournament, scored the "Goal of the Century", won Olimpia de Oro, Onze d'Or, United Press International Athlete of the Year Award and World Soccer Awards Player of the Year. |
| 18 | 1987 | Néstor Fabbri | Racing Club | |
| 19 | 1988 | Rubén Paz | Racing Club | Won the 1988 Supercopa Libertadores. Named South American Footballer of the Year. |
| 20 | 1989 | Carlos Alfaro Moreno | Independiente | Won the 1988–89 Argentine Primera División. |
| 21 | 1990 | Sergio Goycochea | Millonarios | Golden Glove at the 1990 FIFA World Cup. |
| 22 | 1991 | Oscar Ruggeri | Vélez Sarsfield | Captained Argentina to win their first Copa America since 1959. Won Olimpia de Oro. Named South American Footballer of the Year. |
| 23 | 1992 | Luis Islas | Independiente | Won the 1992 King Fahd Cup. |
| 24 | 1993 | Ramón Medina Bello | River Plate | Won the Torneo Apertura 1993 and the 1993 Copa América. |
| 25 | 1994 | Carlos Navarro Montoya | Boca Juniors | Considered the best goalkeeper of Argentina. |
| 26 | 1995 | Enzo Francescoli | River Plate | Won the 1995 Copa América (MVP). Named South American Footballer of the Year. |
| 27 | 1996 | José Luis Chilavert | Vélez Sarsfield | Won the 1996 Supercopa Libertadores, Torneo Apertura 1996 and 1994 Copa Interamericana (played in 1996). Named South American Footballer of the Year. |
| 28 | 1997 | Marcelo Salas | River Plate | Won the 1997 Supercopa Libertadores, Torneo Clausura 1997 and Torneo Apertura 1997. Named South American Footballer of the Year. |
| 29 | 1998 | Gabriel Batistuta | Fiorentina | FIFA World Cup Silver Shoe at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. |
| 30 | 1999 | Javier Saviola | River Plate | Champion and top goalscorer of the Torneo Apertura 1999. Named South American Footballer of the Year. |
| 31 | 2000 | Román Riquelme | Boca Juniors | Won the 2000 Intercontinental Cup, 2000 Copa Libertadores and Torneo Apertura 2000. |
| 32 | 2001 | Román Riquelme | Boca Juniors | Won the 2001 Copa Libertadores (MVP). Named South American Footballer of the Year. |
| 33 | 2002 | Gabriel Milito | Independiente | Led the team that won the Torneo Apertura 2002. |
| 34 | 2003 | Carlos Tevez | Boca Juniors | Won the 2003 Intercontinental Cup, 2003 Copa Libertadores (MVP), Torneo Apertura 2003. Named South American Footballer of the Year. |
| 35 | 2004 | Carlos Tevez | Boca Juniors | Won the 2004 Copa Sudamericana, the 2004 CONMEBOL Men Pre-Olympic Tournament, gold medal at the 2004 Olympics, Olimpia de Oro. Named South American Footballer of the Year. |
| 36 | 2005 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | Won the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship, top scorer and best player of the tournament. Won the 2004–05 La Liga. |
| 37 | 2006 | Juan S. Verón | Estudiantes LP | Led the team that won the Torneo Apertura 2006. |
| 38 | 2007 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | Won Copa América Best Young Player and Bravo Award. |
| 39 | 2008 | Román Riquelme | Boca Juniors | Led the team that won the Torneo Apertura 2008 and the 2008 Recopa Sudamericana. Won the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics. |
| 39 | 2008 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | Won the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics. |
| 40 | 2009 | Juan S. Verón | Estudiantes LP | Led the team that won the 2009 Copa Libertadores, named best player of the tournament and South American Footballer of the Year. |
| 40 | 2009 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | Won the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup, 2008–09 UEFA Champions League, 2009 UEFA Super Cup, 2008–09 La Liga, 2008–09 Copa del Rey, 2009 Supercopa de España, 2009 Ballon d'Or, 2009 FIFA World Player of the Year and Onze d'Or. |
| 41 | 2010 | Juan Manuel Martínez | Vélez Sársfield | |
| 41 | 2010 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | Won the 2009–10 La Liga, 2010 Supercopa de España, 2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or, Pichichi Trophy and European Golden Shoe. |
| 42 | 2011 | Román Riquelme | Boca Juniors | Led the team that won the Torneo Apertura 2011. |
| 42 | 2011 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | Won the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup, 2010–11 UEFA Champions League, 2011 UEFA Super Cup, 2010–11 La Liga, 2011 Supercopa de España, 2011 FIFA Ballon d'Or, UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award, Onze d'Or and Olimpia de Oro. |
| 43 | 2012 | Lisandro López | Arsenal | Led the team that won the Torneo Clausura 2012 and the 2012 Supercopa Argentina, the first national titles in the club's history. |
| 43 | 2012 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | Won the 2011–12 Copa del Rey. Won the 2012 FIFA Ballon d'Or, Onze d'Or, Pichichi Trophy and European Golden Shoe. |
| 44 | 2013 | Maxi Rodríguez | Newell's Old Boys | Led the team that won the Torneo Final 2013. |
| 44 | 2013 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | Won the 2012–13 La Liga and the 2013 Supercopa de España. Won the Pichichi Trophy, European Golden Shoe and FIFA World Cup Golden Ball and reached the final of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. |
| 45 | 2014 | Lucas Pratto | Vélez Sarsfield | Top goalscorer of the 2014 Argentine Primera División, won the 2013 Supercopa Argentina. |
| 45 | 2014 | Ángel Di María | Real Madrid Manchester United | Won the 2013–14 Copa Del Rey, 2013–14 UEFA Champions League, 2014 UEFA Super Cup and reached the final of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. |
| 46 | 2015 | Marco Ruben | Rosario Central | Top goalscorer of the 2015 Primera División |
| 46 | 2015 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | Won the 2014–15 UEFA Champions League, 2015 FIFA Club World Cup, 2015 UEFA Super Cup, 2014–15 La Liga and 2014–15 Copa del Rey. Won the 2015 FIFA Ballon d'Or and UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award. |
| 47 | 2016 | Fernando Belluschi | San Lorenzo | Won the 2015 Supercopa Argentina and chosen as man of the match. |
| 47 | 2016 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | Won the 2015–16 La Liga, the 2015–16 Copa del Rey and the 2016 Supercopa de España. |
| 48 | 2017 | Darío Benedetto | Boca Juniors | Top goalscorer and champion of the 2016–17 Primera. |
| 48 | 2017 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | Won the 2016–17 Copa del Rey, European Golden Shoe, Pichichi Trophy. |
| 49 | 2018 | Pity Martínez | River Plate | Led the team that won the 2018 Copa Libertadores and the 2017 Supercopa Argentina (played in 2018), both finals against Boca Juniors. Named South American Footballer of the Year. |
| 50 | 2019 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | Won the 2018–19 La Liga, 2019 Ballon d'Or, The Best FIFA Men's Player, the Pichichi Trophy and European Golden Shoe. |
| 51 | 2020 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | Member of the Ballon d’Or Dream Team, member of the typical FIFA FIFPro World11, Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsman of the Year and the Pichichi Trophy. |
| 52 | 2021 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona Paris Saint-Germain | Captained Argentina to win the Copa America for the first time in 28 years. Named best player, top scorer and best passer of the tournament. Received a record seventh Ballon d'Or, won Pichichi Trophy for the 8th time, won the Copa del Rey for the 7th time. Won Olimpia de Oro. |
| 53 | 2022 | Lionel Messi | Paris Saint-Germain | Captained Argentina to win the World Cup for the first time in 36 years. Named best player of the tournament and best passer of the tournament, won Ligue 1, won Trophée des Champions, won Finalissima, won IFFHS Best Playmaker for the 5th time and won Olimpia de Oro. |
| 54 | 2023 | Lionel Messi | Paris Saint-Germain Inter Miami | Won Ligue 1, Leagues Cup, Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsman of the Year, Olimpia de Oro, his eighth Ballon d'Or and his third The Best FIFA Football Award. |
| 55 | 2024 | Emiliano Martínez | Aston Villa | Won the 2024 Copa América, Yashin Trophy, The Best FIFA Men's Goalkeeper, IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper, Copa América Golden Glove and Olimpia de Oro. |

## Most wins

| Player | Wins |
| Lionel Messi | 16 |
| Diego Maradona | 4 |
| Juan Román Riquelme | 4 |
| Juan Sebastián Verón | 2 |
| Carlos Tevez | 2 |
| Enzo Francescoli | 2 |