| Year | Player | Position | Club | Country | League | |
| 1982 | Paolo Rossi | FW | Juventus | Italy | Italy | |
| 1983 | Zico | FW | Udinese | Brazil | Italy | |
| 1984 | Michel Platini | MF | Juventus | France | Italy | |
| 1985 | Michel Platini | MF | Juventus | France | Italy | |
| 1986 | Diego Maradona | FW | Napoli | Argentina | Italy | |
| 1987 | Ruud Gullit | FW | Milan | Netherlands | Italy | |
| 1988 | Marco Van Basten | FW | Milan | Netherlands | Italy | |
| 1989 | Ruud Gullit | FW | Milan | Netherlands | Italy | |
| 1990 | Lothar Matthaus | MF | Inter | Germany | Italy | |
| 1991 | Jean Pierre Papin | FW | Marseille | France | France | |
| 1992 | Marco Van Basten | FW | Milan | Netherlands | Italy | |
| 1993 | Roberto Baggio | FW | Juventus | Italy | Italy | |
| 1994 | Paolo Maldini | DF | Milan | Italy | Italy | |
| 1995 | Gianluca Vialli | FW | Juventus | Italy | Italy | |
| 1996 | Ronaldo | FW | Inter | Brazil | Italy | |
| 1997 | Ronaldo | FW | Inter | Brazil | Italy | |
| 1998 | Zinedine Zidane | MF | Juventus | France | Italy | |
| 1999 | Rivaldo | FW | Barcelona | Brazil | Spain | |
| 2000 | Luis Figo | MF | Real Madrid | Portugal | Spain | |
| 2001 | Michael Owen | FW | Liverpool | England | England | |
| 2002 | Ronaldo | FW | Real Madrid | Brazil | Spain | |
| 2003 | Pavel Nedved | MF | Juventus | Czech Republic | Italy | |
| 2004 | Ronaldinho | FW | Barcelona | Brazil | Spain | |
| 2005 | Ronaldinho | FW | Barcelona | Brazil | Spain | |
| 2006 | Fabio Cannavaro | DF | Real Madrid | Italy | Spain | |
| 2007 | Kaka' | MF | Milan | Brazil | Italy | |
Position : Defenders (2), Midfielders (7), Forwards (17)
Nation : Brazil (8), Italy (5), France (4), Netherlands (4), Others (5)
League : Italy (18), Spain (6), Others (2)
Club : Juventus (7), Milan (6), Barcelona (3), Inter (3), Real Madrid (3), Others (4)