"WORLD SOCCER" WORLD PLAYER OF THE YEAR
This award begun in 1982 and is voted on by the readers of World Soccer magazine. The results in 2002 are:
| RANK | NAME | NATIONALITY |
% |
| 1 | Ronaldo | Brazil | 26.17 |
| 2 | Michael Ballack | Germany | 17.69 |
| 3 | Roberto Carlos | Brazil | 8.48 |
| 4 | Zinedine Zidane | France | 5.95 |
| 5 | Oliver Kahn | Germany | 4.87 |
| 6 | Rivaldo | Brazil | 3.61 |
| 7 | Raul | Spain | 3.42 |
| 8 | Thierry Henry | France | 3.24 |
| 9 | Michael Owen | England | 2.44 |
| 10 | Ronaldinho | Brazil | 2.26 |
Ronaldo's dominating performances in the World Cup where his eight goals helped Brazil to victory led to him being awarded the Player of the Year by World Soccer. Ballack helped Germany to the final and Roberto Carlos was another member of the victorious Brazilian squad. Previous winners of the award are:
| YEAR | NAME | NATIONALITY |
| 1982 | Paolo Rossi | Italy |
| 1983 | Zico | Brazil |
| 1984 | Michel Platini | France |
| 1985 | Michel Platini | France |
| 1986 | Diego Maradona | Argentina |
| 1987 | Ruud Gullit | Holland |
| 1988 | Marco Van Basten | Holland |
| 1989 | Ruud Gullit | Holland |
| 1990 | Lothar Matthaus | Germany |
| 1991 | Jean-Pierre Papin | France |
| 1992 | Marco Van Basten | Holland |
| 1993 | Roberto Baggio | Italy |
| 1994 | Paolo Maldini | Italy |
| 1995 | Gianluca Vialli | Italy |
| 1996 | Ronaldo | Brazil |
| 1997 | Ronaldo | Brazil |
| 1998 | Zinedine Zidane | France |
| 1999 | Rivaldo | Brazil |
| 2000 | Luis Figo | Portugal |
| 2001 | Michael Owen | England |
Click here to go to the 1999 World Soccer World Player of the Year page
Click here to go to the 2000 World Soccer World Player of the Year page
Click here to go to the 2001 World Soccer World Player of the Year page
Click here to go back to the awards page