Most man of the match awards won by league since 2009-10

Lionel Messi and Eden Hazard
Lionel Messi and Eden Hazard

While the Player of the Match award is not always awarded to the best player on the football pitch, it is viewed as a good indicator of who caught the eye.

In the top five European leagues, it is not easy to consistently win such awards. The quality of the players is extremely high and there is constant competition week in, week out. The big names in each league often tend to win more. There have also been some memorable moments during these Player of the Match award presentations.

Here, we look at which players have won the most Player of the Match awards in each of Europe's top five men's leagues since the 2009-10 season:


Serie A - Papu Gomez (38 awards)

Alejandro 'Papu' Gomez at Atalanta
Alejandro 'Papu' Gomez at Atalanta

Papu Gomez is an Atalanta legend and one of the best Serie A players in recent history.

Having previously played in Italy with Catania, Gomez returned to Serie A when he joined Atalanta from Metalist Kharkiv in 2014. The Argentina international made 252 appearances in all competitions for the Italian club, scoring 59 goals and providing 71 assists.

Gomez departed the club under controversial circumstances. After a rift with manager Gian Piero Gasperini, the 33-year old signed for Sevilla in January 2021. Gomez was also part of the Argentina side which won the 2021 Copa America.


Ligue 1 - Zlatan Ibrahimovic (42 awards)

Zlatan Ibrahimovic at PSG
Zlatan Ibrahimovic at PSG

One of the greatest strikers of his generation, Zlatan Ibrahimovic's arrival transformed the French league.

Having played for the likes of Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona and AC Milan, Ibrahimovic joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2012 for nearly £19 million. The Sweden international proved to be an excellent signing. He made 180 appearances in all competitions for the Ligue 1 giants, scoring 156 goals and providing 61 assists.

Known for his mercurial nature and confident personality, Ibrahimovic brought star quality to France. During his time there, he helped Paris Saint-Germain establish domestic dominance and won four Ligue 1 titles. The 39-year old has shown no signs of slowing down and is currently excelling at AC Milan.


Also Read: Fabrizio Romano's Transfer Roundup: Arsenal's plans for midfield, Update on Barcelona's plans for Griezmann and more

Bundesliga - Marco Reus (48 awards)

Marco Reus at Borussia Dortmund
Marco Reus at Borussia Dortmund

For a brief period of time, Marco Reus was considered to be one of the best footballers in the world.

Injuries have not helped his cause as he has fallen away in recent years. A highly-rated talent, Reus made his name with Borussia Monchengladbach, and subsequently joined Borussia Dortmund in 2012 for £15.4 million. Despite his various injury issues over the years, the Germany international has made 315 appearances in all competitions for Borussia Dortmund. In this time, he has scored 140 goals and provided 96 assists.

Reus is now the captain of Borussia Dortmund and one of the most experienced members of the squad. The 32-year old's talent deserved more, but Reus has carved out a fine career at the top level.


Premier League - Eden Hazard (62 awards)

Eden Hazard at Chelsea
Eden Hazard at Chelsea

One of Chelsea's greatest and arguably the Premier League's greatest players, Eden Hazard was simply sensational during his time with the Blues.

A creative forward with excellent dribbling ability, Hazard was a prodigious talent. He was linked with some of the biggest clubs in the world after impressing with Lille in France. The Belgium international decided to join Chelsea in 2012, and made 352 appearances in all competitions, scoring 110 goals and providing 92 assists.

Hazard won the Premier League twice with Chelsea. The 30-year old moved to Real Madrid in 2019 for £103.5 million, but Los Blancos fans are yet to see the best of the forward. Injuries have plagued his time in Spain so far, and Hazard has only made 43 appearances for his new club.


La Liga - Lionel Messi (222 awards)

Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi is one of the greatest players to have stepped onto a football pitch. It is not surprising to note that the forward has won the most Player of the Match awards across Europe since the 2009-10 season.

A one-club man, Messi made his debut for Barcelona in 2004, and soon became an integral member of the first XI. The Argentina international has made 778 appearances in all competitions for the Camp Nou outfit, scoring 672 goals and providing 305 assists.

Messi has made it a habit of bamboozling opposition defenses with his quick feet and world-class dribbling. His creativity and goalscoring levels are also unparalleled. Messi is Barcelona's and arguably the world's greatest ever footballer.


Also Read: 5 players who need to leave Chelsea

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Edited by Anantaajith Raghuraman