Awarded by Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) each year, the FIFA World Player Awards celebrate the best male and female players in World football, although players plying their trade in European leagues have exclusively dominated the male awards since their inception in 1991. The winners are chosen by coaches and captains of international teams, each of whom picks out their three choices in a particular order.

The 2009 winners were announced at the yearly FIFA World Player Gala, held this year at the Kongresshaus in Zurich, on the 21st of December 2009. The final 5 male nominations were Andres Iniesta, Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Xavi, and the final five women were Cristiane, Inka Grings, Marta, Birgit Prinz and Kelly Smith. Messi and Marta took the awards, with the latter being the first player to win for four years in a row.