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1991 FIFA Awards

The 1991 FIFA World Player Gala (now called the Best FIFA Football Awards) was an international football award ceremony by the sport's governing body FIFA. This was the first time the event was held. Only two awards were presented in 1991, the Best FIFA Men's Player and the FIFA Fair Play Award (first awarded in 1987)

1991 was the first time the best player award was presented. The inaugural winner was the German player Lothar Matthäus, a German midfielder who was known for his exceptional playmaking and versatility. Matthäus had a successful career with several top clubs and the German national team, including winning the 1990 FIFA World Cup. In the same year, the winner of the 1991 Ballon d'Or was French player Jean-Pierre Papin.

The other award presented at the FIFA World Player Gala was the FIFA Fair Play Award, which recognizes behavior that promotes the spirit of fair play and compassion. There were two winners in 1991, the Royal Spanish Football Federation In recognition of the exemplary way the government, media, schools, artists and sponsors were all involved in fair play activities, and Brazilian player Jorginho for his model behaviour both on and off the field.

The women's award for Best FIFA Women's Player was not awarded until 2001.



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