10 players with highest percentage of Man of the Match awards since 2009 | OneFootball

Since 2009, football fans have been blessed with a plethora of talent taking to the field. From Lionel Messi to Kevin De Bruyne, it's no wonder why players with ambition are desperate to make the switch to Europe and establish themselves as one of the best in the world.

Unquestionably, Lionel Messi has dominated football for the past decade and has been closely followed by long-term rival Cristiano Ronaldo. Given his dazzling success on the pitch, the Argentine forward has produced many iconic moments during his club career and has picked up several Man of the Match awards since 2009.

A list compiled by Pop Foot shows the top 10 players with the best percentage of Man of the Match awards per match since 2009 and most of the footballers mentioned will not shock most fans of the beautiful game.

However, spare a thought for the likes of Luis Suarez, Karim Benzema and Robert Lewandowski. Despite their great accolades on the pitch, these three players are just a few iconic names who don't feature on the coveted list. But which players feature in the top 10? GIVEMESPORT takes a look at the players who made the cut below...

1 Lionel Messi

324 Man of the Match awards in 628 games (51.6%)

It's no surprise to see the majestic Argentinian at number one. During his time in Spain and France with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, Lionel Messi lit up the pitch in practically every game he played in. The 36-year-old was part of the Barcelona team that won a historic treble in the 2010/11 campaign, including the Champions League. That season, the forward scored 50 goals in all competitions. While his time in France was less successful, Messi was still at the heart of everything for the Parisian side.

In 628 games since 2009, Messi picked up 324 Man of the Match awards, which works out to be just over 51 per cent and is well clear of long-term rival Cristiano Ronaldo. While the World Cup winner is now plying his trade for MLS side Inter Miami, he still continues to produce many memorable moments on the pitch, and at the age of 36, has shown no signs of slowing down amid talk of retirement.

2 Cristiano Ronaldo

176 Man of the Match awards in 612 games (28.8%)

Messi's bitter rival Cristiano Ronaldo takes the number two spot, much to the surprise of nobody. Towards the back end of his first stint in England with Manchester United, the Portuguese sensation established himself as one of the best players in the world before securing a sensational move to Spain with Real Madrid back in 2009. During his time in Spain, Ronaldo won 15 titles, including four Champions League trophies before making the switch to Serie A with Juventus. In his three years with Juventus, Ronaldo won three titles.

The forward had one last crack at the Premier League with Manchester United before moving to his current club, Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia. With 612 games under his belt since 2009, the Euros winner picked up 176 Man of the Match awards, which works out to be 28.8 per cent when compared to the games he's played. Considering how big of a global icon Ronaldo is, that number may shock many given how successful he was on the pitch.

3 Neymar

90 Man of the Match awards in 336 games (26.8%)

During his time in Europe with Barcelona and PSG, Neymar completed his transformation from young prospect to one of the world's best. The little man from Brazil was a joy to watch at Barcelona and provided more excitement to the league. With two La Liga titles and a Champions League to his name during his stint in Spain, Neymar moved to PSG in 2017, where he would continue his glittering career, winning several titles.

Over the last 10 years, Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar dominated European football; therefore, it's no shock to see the Brazilian at number three on the list. In 336 games, the 31-year-old picked up 90 Man of the Match awards, which works out to be 26.8 per cent. The former La Liga star now plays in Saudi Arabia for Al-Hilal but suffered a serious ACL injury towards the start of the 2023/24 season and is yet to return to action.

4 Zlatan Ibrahimovic

96 Man of the Match awards in 396 games (24.2%)

Zlatan Ibrahimovic will undoubtedly go down as one of the best strikers in the 21st century. Despite his time in La Liga at Barcelona being relatively unsuccessful - in part because he found himself in Messi's shadow - the former Swedish star moved to Serie A with AC Milan in 2010 on an original loan deal, which was then made permanent in 2011. After a jaw-dropping season in Italy, Ibrahimovic then moved to PSG, spending four years with the French giants. In 180 games for the Parisian side, the former striker scored 156 goals.

He then spent two years at Manchester United before a brief spell at LA Galaxy and then one last hurrah with AC Milan. With how successful he was on the pitch, Zlatan features in the top five list of players with the best percentage of man of the match awards per match since 2009 with 96 awards in 396 games (24.2 per cent). With several major honours under his belt, Ibrahimovic retired from the game in 2023 after a breathtaking career in football.

5 Kylian Mbappe

82 Man of the Match awards in 342 games (24%)

PSG icon Kylian Mbappe completes the top five list. At the age of 25, the forward has enjoyed a wonderful career so far. Mbappe has already conquered world football, winning the World Cup in 2018 with his beloved France. The forward became the youngest goalscorer in a final since Pele himself, starring in Les Bleus' famous win over Croatia in Russia. In terms of his club career, Mbappe has won everything that French football has to offer but is still yet to taste European glory.

Since bursting onto the scene with Monaco in 2015, the youngster has established himself as one of the best players in the world. In 342 games since his debut, Mbappe has a percentage of 24 when it comes to Man of the Match awards per match. It is no surprise to see the France star in the top five, and with the way his career is going, it wouldn't shock many if he were to go on to dethrone Messi at the top of the table.

6 Erling Haaland

82 Man of the Match awards in 181 games (21.5%)

With Messi and Ronaldo heading towards the end of their careers, football fans are wondering what the next rivalry between two superstars will be. Thankfully, it looks like the next decade is sorted, with Mbappe and Erling Haaland set to go toe-to-toe. Since his senior debut in 2017, the prolific Norway star has been on a meteoric rise and continues to get better. After impressing with Molde and Red Bull Salzburg, Haaland made the switch to the Bundesliga, scoring 86 goals in 89 games for Borussia Dortmund before moving to current club Manchester City.

At the age of 23, Haaland has a percentage of 21.5 when it comes to Man of the Match awards per game. Given how much of a joy he has been to watch since his Dortmund days, it is no shock to see the forward feature in the top 10. With a Premier League and Champions League title to his name so far, the young striker will receive many more Man of the Match awards as he looks to climb up the table and compete with Mbappe.

7 Harry Kane

98 Man of the Match awards in 463 games (21.2%)

After finally breaking into the Tottenham team in 2014, Harry Kane has never looked back. Despite never winning a league title during his time with his beloved Spurs, the 30-year-old broke several goalscoring records and was unquestionably the best striker in England at that time. In 430 games for the north London side, the Englishman scored 278 times before moving to Bayern Munich last summer.

Given how successful he was in England and how influential he has been in Munich, Kane's percentage of 21.2 when it comes to Man of the Match awards per game and featuring in the top 10 comes as no surprise to many football fans. As alluded to, despite having no trophies under his belt, his goalscoring record at the highest level makes him one of the best players in world football right now.

8 Arjen Robben

57 Man of the Match awards in 281 games (20.3%)

The former Holland and Bayern Munich star had one of the best left feet in football during his prime years. After a remarkable spell in England and Spain with Chelsea and Real Madrid respectively, Arjen Robben made the switch to the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich in 2009 and would then go on to establish himself as one of the best wingers in the world before departing in 2019.

His percentage of 20.3 when it comes to Man of the Match awards per game is quite impressive seeing as he had to compete with the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller, Mario Gomez and Frank Ribery during his time in Germany. With eight Bundesliga titles and a Champions League title to his name, Robben was Box Office in his prime and produced many mouthwatering performances at the highest level during the peak of his powers.

9 Kevin De Bruyne

86 Man of the Match awards in 446 games (19.3%)

Despite a torrid time in England with Chelsea, Kevin De Bruyne's professional career kicked on at Wolfsburg, where he scored 20 goals and provided 37 assists in 70 games for the German giants before moving to Manchester City in 2015. The Belgium international has won everything that club football has to offer during his time with City so far, including five Premier League titles and one Champions League.

Given how De Bruyne is able to put a ball on a six pence for his team-mates, while having the ability to finish in the final third, it's no shock to see him in the top 10. His percentage of 19.3 when it comes to Man of the Match awards per game (86 in 446 games) is a testament to how good of a player he is and is without a shadow of a doubt one of the best playmakers in world football and will go down as one of the best midfielders in the history of the Premier League.

10 Eden Hazard

100 Man of the Match awards in 520 games (19.2%)

Lastly, but by no means least, is former Blues star Eden Hazard. During his Lille days, the former tricky Belgium winger was destined for big things. He got his big breakthrough in 2012, moving to Premier League giants Chelsea, where he would go on to become one of the best wingers the league has seen. In 352 games for the west London outfit, Hazard scored 110 goals and provided 92 assists and won several titles, including two Premier Leagues.

With a percentage of 19.2 when it comes to Man of the Match awards per match since 2009, it's no surprise to see the former footballer feature on the list. Back in his playing days, particularly with Chelsea, Hazard was capable of turning the game in an instant and carried the club on his back for many years when they so desperately needed someone to step up in pivotal moments. During his time in England, Hazard was recognised as one of the best wingers to ever play in the country before making the switch to Real Madrid in 2018.