UEFA Champions League Final Man of the Match Award (since 2001)

It is well-known that Football is the most individualistic sport amongst collective sports. This is true.

And despite the fact that football is a sport that is played collectively, it seems there is always the need to extract one piece out of the 11 pieces puzzle. UEFA is not here to work things out on this point of view since they created the "Champions League Final Man of the match" award in the beginning of the century, in 2001. This was first awarded to Oliver Kahn, hero of the penalty shootoots between his team of Munich and Valencia after a very solid match (by him and from the both whole sides).

It remains that the "palmarès" can be an indicator of who was maybe the iconic player of the winning team (the loosers have never been awarded here) like Gerrard, Maldini or Xavi, that globally during the competition, during the Final or both things. Also he can be the most decisive in terms of goals scored (Eto'o, Inzaghi, Milito...), the most spectacular (Zidane, also scorer, Kahn in some ways) or a bit all of that at once.

Of course some (or all) choices are debatable and the "fans" had their say until recent days.

Here is the Palmarès of the CL Final "MoM's" by UEFA, some guys who vote:

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL MAN OF THE MATCH AWARD (since 2001):

2001: Oliver Kahn (G, GER, FC Bayern München)
2002: Zinédine Zidane (M, FRA, Real Madrid CF)
2003: Paolo Maldini (D, ITA, AC Milan)
2004: Deco (M, POR, FC Porto)
2005: Steven Gerrard (M, ENG, Liverpool FC)
2006: Samuel Eto'o (S, CAM, FC Barcelona)
2007: Filippo Inzaghi (S, ITA, AC Milan)
2008: Edwin van der Sar (G, NED, Manchester United FC)
2009: Xavi Hernandez (M, ESP, FC Barcelona)
2010: Diego Milito (S, ARG, FC Internazionale)
2011: Lionel Messi (S, ARG, FC Barcelona)
2012: Didier Drogba (S, CIV, Chelsea FC)
2013: Arjen Robben (S, NED, FC Bayern München)
2014: Angel Di Maria (M, ARG, Real Madrid CF)
2015: Andrès Iniesta (M, ESP, FC Barcelona)_____________________________2 G, 1 D, 6 M, 6 S


UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL FANS' MAN OF THE MATCH (awarded from 2008 to 2014):

2008: Cristiano Ronaldo (S, POR, Manchester United FC)
2009: Lionel Messi (S, ARG, FC Barcelona)
2010: Wesley Sneijder (M, NED, FC Internazionale)
2011: Lionel Messi (S, ARG, FC Barcelona)
2012: Petr Cech (G, CZE, Chelsea FC)
2013: Manuel Neuer (G, GER, FC Bayern München)
2014: Sergio Ramos (D, ESP, Real Madrid CF)____________________________diff.:+1 G and 1 D, -1M and 1 S (2008-2014)