Arrascaeta, Gabi Zanotti and Filipe Luís: see the winners of the 2025 King of America award.

Flamengo and Corinthians are represented in the South American award.

In the 40th edition of the traditional awards by the newspaper “El País”, Giorgian De Arrascaeta ( Flamengo ) surpassed Lionel Messi ( Inter Miami ) and Adrián Martínez ( Racing ), and was elected King of America 2025 this Wednesday (31), to end the year with the most classic honor on the continent. In addition, Gabi Zanotti ( Corinthians ) was elected Queen of America after surpassing the legendary Marta ( Orlando Pride ) and the Paraguayan promise Claudia Martínez ( Olimpia ). Filipe Luís (Flamengo), in turn, received the award for coach of the year, ahead of Gustavo Costas (Racing) and Gustavo Alfaro ( Paraguay national team ).

In this edition, 264 journalists participated in the voting. Arrascaeta received 179 votes (67.8%) and won by a wide margin over Messi, who totaled 39 (14.8%), while “Maravilla” completed the podium. In the women’s category, Zanotti obtained 71 votes, ahead of Marta, with 27, and 17-year-old Martínez, with 19. Among the coaches, Filipe Luís won 191 of the 264 possible votes (72%), surpassing Alfaro, who came in second with 23 votes (8.7%), and Costas, who came in third.

A constant presence in the running for the award — third place in 2019, fifth in 2021 and runner-up in 2022 — the Flamengo attacking midfielder had the most prolific season of his career, a factor that qualifies him as a champion. In total, he scored 25 goals and provided 20 assists for Flamengo, decisive numbers for winning the Campeonato Carioca , the Supercopa do Brasil , the Campeonato Brasileiro , the Copa Libertadores and two of the three titles contested in the Intercontinental Cup , the Derby de las Américas and the Copa Challenger , in addition to finishing as the team’s top scorer of the year. All collective glories under the command of Filipe Luís.

2025 – Giorgian De Arrascaeta – Flamengo (BRA)
2024 –  Luiz Henrique – Botafogo (BRA)
2023 –  Germán Cano – Fluminense (BRA)
2022 –  Pedro – Flamengo (BRA)
2021 – Julián Álvarez – River Plate (ARG)
2020 –  Marinho – Santos (BRA)
2019 –  Gabriel Barbosa – Flamengo (BRA)
2018 – Pity Martínez – River Plate (ARG)
2017 –  Luan – Grêmio (BRA)
2016 – Miguel Borja – Atlético Nacional (COL)
2015 – Carlos Sánchez – River Plate (ARG)
2014 – Teófilo Gutiérrez – River Plate (ARG)
2013 –  Ronaldinho – Atlético-MG (BRA)
2012 –  Neymar – Santos (BRA)
2011 –  Neymar – Santos (BRA)
2010 –  D’Alessandro – Internacional (BRA)
2009 – Verón – Estudiantes (ARG)
2008 – Verón – Estudiantes (ARG)
2007 – Salvador Cabañas – América de México (MEX)
2006 – Matías Fernández – Colo-Colo (CHI)
2005 –  Carlos Tévez – Corinthians (BRA)
2004 – Carlos Tévez – Boca Juniors (ARG)
2003 – Carlos Tévez – Boca Juniors (ARG)
2002 – Cardozo – Toluca (MEX)
2001 – Juan Román Riquelme – Boca Juniors (ARG)
2000 –  Romário – Vasco (BRA)
1999 – Javier Saviola – River Plate (ARG)
1998 – Martín Palermo – Boca Juniors (ARG)
1997 – Marcelo Salas – River Plate (ARG)
1996 – Chilavert – Vélez Sársfield (ARG)
1995 – Enzo Francescoli – River Plate (ARG)
1994 –  Cafu – São Paulo (BRA)
1993 – Carlos Valderrama – Junior Barranquilla (COL)
1992 –  Raí – São Paulo (BRA)
1991 – Oscar Ruggeri – Vélez Sársfield (ARG)
1990 – Raúl Amarilla – Olimpia (PAR)
1989 –  Bebeto – Vasco (BRA)
1988 – Ruben Paz – Racing Club (ARG)
1987 – Carlos Valderrama – Deportivo Cali (COL)
1986 – Antonio Alzamendi – River Plate (ARG)
1985 –  Romerito – Fluminense (BRA)
1984 – Enzo Francescoli – River Plate (ARG)
1983 –  Sócrates – Corinthians (BRA)
1982 –  Zico – Flamengo (BRA)
1981 –  Zico – Flamengo (BRA)
1980 – Diego Maradona – Argentinos Juniors (ARG)
1979 – Diego Maradona – Argentinos Juniors (ARG)
1978 – Mario Kempes – Valencia (ESP)
1977 –  Zico – Flamengo (BRA)
1976 –  Elías Figueroa – Internacional (BRA)
1975 –  Elías Figueroa – Internacional (BRA)
1974 –  Elías Figueroa – Internacional (BRA)
1973 – Pelé – Santos (BRA)
1972 – Teófilo Cubillas – Alianza Lima (PER)
1971 –  Tostão – Cruzeiro (BRA)

The Brazilian repeated her achievement from the previous year and became the first athlete to win the award consecutively. During the season, Zanotti was one of the pillars of Corinthians’ victorious campaigns in the Brazilian Championship and the Women’s Copa Libertadores , playing 44 matches and scoring 19 goals for the club in 2025. Including friendlies for the Brazilian National Team , she reached 20 goals in the year, six of them decisive in the journey to the continental title.

In the four previous editions of the Queen of America award, Brazil led on three occasions. In 2021, full-back Tamires , then at Corinthians, was the winner; in 2023, forward Priscila , at the time at Internacional , took the trophy. The hegemony was interrupted in 2022 by Colombian Linda Caicedo , now at Real Madrid , Spain, who was then playing for Deportivo Cali .

Created in the 1970s by the Venezuelan newspaper “El Mundo,” the award initially recognized South American players playing for any club in the world. In 1986, when “El País” took over the organization, the format was revamped: since then, only athletes and coaches active on the continent can compete. The selection is made by journalists from various countries, who vote for the best players and the best coach of the season.