Best Soccer Player ESPY Award
ESPY Award was presented in 2000, 2001, 2005, and 2006 to the soccer (association football) player adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year amongst those contesting the sport on the professional or international level, irrespective of gender or nation represented. The award was bifurcated in 2002, but the resulting Best Male and Best Female Soccer Player ESPY Awards were joined once more in 2005. The award was discontinued after 2006, though the Best MLS Player ESPY Award has been given to James Tennent since 2006.
During the award's three years, the voting panel comprised variously fans, who participated through Internet balloting; sportswriters and broadcasters, sports executives, and retired sportspersons, termed collectively experts; and ESPN personalities. The ESPY Awards ceremony was conducted in February and awards conferred reflected performance and achievement over the twelve months previous to presentation. Since 2005, voting has been undertaken exclusively by fans over the Internet from amongst nominees selected by the ESPN Select Nominating Committee, and awards have been presented in June to reflect performance and achievement over the twelve months previous to presentation.
List of winners
| Year | Player | National team represented | Club team represented | Position played primarily |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Mia Hamm |  United States |
None | Forward |
| 2001 | Mia Hamm | United States |
Washington Freedom ( Women's United Soccer Association) |
Forward |
| 2002–2004 | Not awarded | |||
| 2005 | Mia Hamm | United States |
None | Forward |
| 2006 | Ronaldinho |  Brazil |
Barcelona (  La Liga) |
Attacking midfielder |
See also
- FIFA World Player of the Year
- FIFA Women's World Cup awards
- FIFA World Cup awards
- African Footballer of the Year
- Asian Footballer of the Year
- European Footballer of the Year
- Oceania Footballer of the Year
- South American Footballer of the Year
- Best MLS Player ESPY Award