Even without a trophy to their name, some of these names still hold an important place in the history of the quadrennial mega event.
Football is a team sport, but there are some individuals who deserve recognition. Since the 2002 World Cup, FIFA has instituted the Man of the Match Award to highlight such performances. Over the past few years, many greats have dominated this award. Especially Wesley Sneijder and Lionel Messi hold the record for most man of the match in a World Cup. However, today we will look at the best players who have won the most man-of-the-match awards.
10. Thomas Müller (Germany) – 4 wins
Thomas Müller has a very good record in the World Cup and has been Germany’s main player for many years. He won the Golden Boot in 2010 and was named Man of the Match four times. His last award was in 2014, but given his current form, he could add more to it in the near future.
9. Park Ji-sung (South Korea) – 4 wins
There is no doubt that this South Korean legend has a great history at the World Cup. For his country, Park Ji-sung has played in three World Cups and played an important role in each of them. He particularly excelled at home in the 2002 World Cup and won two Man of the Match awards.
8. Miroslav Klose (Germany) – 4 wins
The World Cup and Miroslav Klose are a match made in heaven. He is the all-time World Cup goalscorer with 16 goals and has won four Man of the Match awards. His last World Cup was in 2014, but he won all Man of the Match awards in 2002 and 2006.
7. James Rodriguez (Colombia) – 4 wins
Although Rodriguez will miss this year’s World Cup after Colombia failed to qualify, his career took a major turn after his heroics at the 2014 World Cup. He scored 6 goals and won the Golden Boot and left an everlasting spell. He won four man-of-the-match awards during his 2014 and 2018 World Cup appearances and will be one of the main losers at the 2022 World Cup.
6. Keisuke Honda (Japan) – 4 wins
Keisuke Honda is a legendary figure in Japanese football and especially the World Cup, where he always rises to the occasion. He has taken up his career in coaching. The former AC Milan forward is the Cambodia national team coach. He won four Man of the Match awards in the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.
5. Eden Hazard (Belgium) – 4 wins
Eden Hazard has become the man of the occasion for Belgium in the World Cup. His four Man of the Match awards is enough to prove his mettle. The Belgian forward’s team finished third in the World Cup after losing to France in the 2018 semi-finals. But after a disappointing spell with Real Madrid, Hazard has a lot to prove this time around.
4. Luis Suarez (Uruguay) – 5 wins
The World Cup and Luis Suarez have an interesting history. Although the Uruguayan has a very good record at the event, his controversial performance in the quarter-finals in 2010 often overshadows his achievements. Suarez has played in three World Cups and won awards in all of them. He already has five trophies, but 2022 could be the year for more additions.
3. Arjen Robben (Netherlands) – 6 wins
During the period 2010-2014, the Dutch national team dominated the world, and Arjen Robben was an important part of that dominance. Robben absolutely dominated the World Cup, helping the Netherlands to second in 2010 and third in 2014. Even if Robben didn’t win the trophy, his name will forever live in history.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) – 7 wins
Despite Portugal’s poor performance at the recent World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo has not backed away from giving his all. In the past three World Cups, the Portugal legend has been a dominant force for them, winning six Man of the Match awards. Considering that the 2022 World Cup will likely be his last, he wants to achieve another prestigious record. He won his seventh Man of the Match award in the 2022 World Cup opener against Ghana.
1. Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 9 wins
The Argentine magician will play in the World Cup for the sixth time in 2022. He has won 6 Man of the Match awards and the Golden Ball. However, the World Cup trophy is the only piece missing from his set. In 2014 Argentina lost in the final where he came close to achieving his goal. Messi himself won four Man of the Match awards at the 2014 World Cup. Messi won his seventh Man of the Match award in a FIFA World Cup 2022 group stage match in Mexico. The Argentina star is currently on the 9th man of the match award as he heads into the World Cup 2022 semi-final against Croatia.