La Gazzetta dello Sport chose their 1986 athletes of year with Maradona at the top (first ever footballer chosen since the introduction to the award in 1978). The French associated press and the United States associated press also chose Maradona in 1986 as the top athlete in the world.
I figured this is the right place to add further years of what the sources available at hand provided. Gazzetta dello Sport February 1988 best players in the world, according to the top managers in the world.
Guerin Sportivo March 1988 Maradona vs Gullit The top two players in the world from 1987 are picked by Italian journalists who is the best.
The breakdown of each publication https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/se...-player-ratings.2085771/page-52#post-38160549
So according to Gazzetta Maradona was the best in 1988. And i guess in 1987 too, since he won the 1st Scudetto for Napoli and the Coppa Italia too. Vegan so in both 1987 and 1988 according to Gazzetta Maradona was the Best player of the year, right?
Most definitely because 1986 was unanimous by all accounts and between February and March 1988 GS provided several polls and different Italian publications, including Gazzetta, where Maradona beat out Gullit, so in theory 1987 belonged to Maradona. We now know 1988 also, making him an official hat-trick (1986, 87, 88) Ballon d’Or winner by Italian sources.
Vegan what about 1988 now? We now know that Gazzetta give Maradona the title of player of the year and was still considered the best in the game. There was some comparision with Gullit but at the end Diego was n.1 . Van Basten made a great Euro 88 but imo not enough to be considered ahead of El Diez. What do you think?
Nevermind i just saw your reply. Yeah, its a Maradona hat trick indeed for italian sources, 1986-1987-1988.
I think Gullit is out of the top 2 for 1988, for sure now. There is two sources that confirm that (IFFHS and Gazzetta dello Sport). We now know 1988 indeed could have gone to Maradona, who had a top-class calendar year. Van Basten virtually depends on his Euro to fend him off, but even then he’s 3rd behind Maradona and Hugo Sanchez by Gazzetta and only 9 points ahead by the IFFHS poll over Diego.
I've seen voting for athlete of the year in GdS for 1960 and 1963. Highest ranked footballers: 60: Luis Suarez 8th 63: Rivera 5th Possible explanation could be that it might not have been a regular award and officially introduced in 1978.
Hey vegan, did you find some poll on the italian newspaper about best in the world for 1989 and 1990 too?
Mate, I did not see any polls for those years printed in the tabloids. It seems 1988 was the last award by Gazzetta dello Sport, as far as I’m concerned.
Although 1979 had a winner by GS, not much else is provided. However, this “Gandula” award from Brazil is another hint at how certain athletes/managers/broadcasters were perceived that year. This cute award that has a child carrying a football, was created in 1973, but only applied to Brazilians. Since 1978 it expanded internationally and included foreigners. The nominees of various countries below.