Every season ends with a list of individual football awards, and almost every season the winners spark arguments. One player wins one trophy while a different player wins another for the same year. Fans often assume one of them must be wrong. In reality, the awards are decided by different groups using different methods, so different results are normal. This guide explains the main ways football awards are chosen and how to read the results sensibly.
Method 1: Journalist juries
The Ballon d’Or is the best-known award decided by journalists. Organisers choose one journalist from each of a set of countries, and each juror ranks players from an official shortlist. Points are added up and the highest total wins. Journalist juries tend to reward a combination of individual performances, major trophies and global visibility. Because jurors come from many countries, the result often reflects which players were noticed most widely, not only who had the best statistics.
Method 2: Coaches and captains
FIFA’s The Best awards combine several groups of voters. National team coaches and captains each vote, along with selected media representatives and fans, with each group’s ballots given an equal share of the final result. Coaches and captains often value tactical intelligence and consistency, and they sometimes vote for teammates or former teammates, which is one reason the results differ from journalist-only awards.
Method 3: Players voting for players
Some awards are decided entirely by professional players. In England, for example, the PFA Player of the Year is voted for by members of the players’ union. Players often judge how difficult an opponent was to face, so defenders and midfielders who rarely win media awards sometimes do better in these votes.
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Method 4: Panels and fan votes
Many league awards, such as player of the month or player of the season, use a panel of experts combined with a public fan vote. The panel adds expertise, and the fan vote adds engagement. The balance between the two is decided by the organiser. Fan votes can favour players from clubs with very large global followings, which is why most competitions give experts a significant share.
Method 5: Pure statistics
Some prizes need no vote at all. Golden Boot awards go to the top scorer, with set rules for ties, such as counting assists or minutes played. Golden Glove awards usually go to the goalkeeper with the most clean sheets. These are easy to understand but only measure one part of a player’s contribution.
Why the same season produces different winners
- Different voters value different qualities.
- Award periods differ: some cover a calendar year, others a season.
- Shortlists differ, so a player may not even be eligible for every award.
- Some votes include fans, others exclude them completely.
How to read award results like an analyst
Start by checking who voted and which period was covered. Then look at the full points table or voting breakdown if it is published. A player who finishes second by a narrow margin may have been more widely admired than the headline suggests. Finally, compare the result with the award’s stated criteria. If the criteria emphasise trophies, a player from a team that won major titles will naturally have an advantage.
Awards are not the whole story
Individual awards are a celebration, not a final judgement. Many great players never won the biggest prizes because they played in the same era as a dominant star or in positions that voters rarely reward. Enjoy the debates, but use the method behind each award to understand why the result happened.
Key points to remember
- Journalists, coaches, captains, players, experts and fans all vote in different awards.
- Some prizes are purely statistical, like the Golden Boot.
- Different methods and periods explain different winners.
- Always check who voted and what the criteria were.
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