SOUTH AMERICAN PLAYER OF THE YEAR
This award begun in 1971.From 1971 to 1985 it was awarded by Venezuelan newspaper El Mundo. From 1986 onwards it has been awarded by the Uruguayan newspaper El Pais. It is open only to South American players of South American clubs. The results in 2001 are:
| RANK | NAME | NATIONALITY |
VOTES |
| 1 | Juan Roman Riquelme | Argentina | 88 |
| 2 | Oscar Cordoba | Colombia | 59 |
| 3 | Romario | Brazil | 41 |
| 4 | Francisco Arce | Paraguay | 39 |
| 5 | Juan Pablo Sorin | Argentina | 37 |
| 6 | Mario Yepes | Colombia | 36 |
| 7 | Ariel Ortega | Argentina | 31 |
| 8 | Alejandro Lembo | Uruguay | 29 |
| 9 | Mauricio Serna | Colombia | 27 |
| 10 | Andres d'Alessandro | Argentina | 20 |
| Juninho | Brazil | 20 |
Juan Roman Riquelme and Oscar Cordoba are the playmaker and goalkeeper for Boca Juniors who won the Copa Libertadores for the second straight year. Romario could only finish third unlike the previous year where he won. Previous winners of the award are:
| YEAR | NAME | NATIONALITY |
| 1971 | Tostao | Brazil |
| 1972 | Teofilo Cubillas | Peru |
| 1973 | Pele | Brazil |
| 1974 | Elias Figueroa | Chile |
| 1975 | Elias Figueroa | Chile |
| 1976 | Elias Figueroa | Chile |
| 1977 | Zico | Brazil |
| 1978 | Mario Kempes | Argentina |
| 1979 | Diego Maradona | Argentina |
| 1980 | Diego Maradona | Argentina |
| 1981 | Zico | Brazil |
| 1982 | Zico | Brazil |
| 1983 | Socrates | Brazil |
| 1984 | Enzo Francescoli | Uruguay |
| 1985 | Julio Cesar Romero | Paraguay |
| 1986 | Antonio Alzamendi | Uruguay |
| 1987 | Carlos Valderrama | Colombia |
| 1988 | Ruben Paz | Uruguay |
| 1989 | Bebeto | Brazil |
| 1990 | Raul Amarilla | Paraguay |
| 1991 | Oscar Ruggeri | Argentina |
| 1992 | Rai | Brazil |
| 1993 | Carlos Valderrama | Colombia |
| 1994 | Cafu | Brazil |
| 1995 | Enzo Francescoli | Uruguay |
| 1996 | Jose Luis Chilavert | Paraguay |
| 1997 | Marcelo Salas | Chile |
| 1998 | Martin Palermo | Argentina |
| 1999 | Javier Saviola | Argentina |
| 2000 | Romario | Brazil |
Click here to go to the 1999 South American Player of the Year
Click here to go to the 2000 South American Player of the Year
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