The Portuguese League for Professional Football Primeira Liga Player of the Year (often called the LPFP Primeira Liga Player of the Year, the Primeira Liga Player of the Year or simply the Player of the Year) is an annual award given to the player who is adjudged to have been the best of the year in Primeira Liga. Between 2006 and 2010 the winner was chosen only by a vote amongst the members of Sports National Press Club (CNID). Since 2011, thanks to new sponsorship agreements, all the awards related to football belong to Portuguese League for Professional Football (LPFP) and are chosen by a vote amongst their associated.
The award has been presented officially since the 2005–06 season, when the inaugural winner was Ricardo Quaresma. That trophy was delivered during the celebration of Sports National Press Club (CNID) 40th anniversary. Since the 2011–12 season, the award ceremony takes place at Palácio do Freixo, in Porto, Portugal. All Primeira Liga draws are also performed during the same event. The first non-Portuguese to win the award was Lisandro López after the 2007–08 season. In 2012, Hulk became the first player to win the award twice, followed by Jonas in 2016, Bruno Fernandes in 2019 and Viktor Gyökeres in 2025.
Winners List of winners
This award has been presented on 21 occasions as of 2026, with 17 different winners. The table indicates the winners and their information, including country, club and position. Every winner was playing for one of the Big Three. Season Player Nationality Club Position Sources Notes 2005–06 Ricardo Quaresma Porto Winger 2006–07 Simão Sabrosa Benfica Winger 2007–08 Lisandro López Porto Striker 2008–09 Bruno Alves Porto Centre back 2009–10 David Luiz Benfica Centre back 2010–11 Hulk Porto Winger 2011–12 Hulk Porto Winger 2012–13 Nemanja Matić Benfica Midfielder 2013–14 Enzo Pérez Benfica Midfielder 2014–15 Jonas Benfica Striker 2015–16 Jonas Benfica Striker 2016–17 Pizzi Benfica Midfielder 2017–18 Bruno Fernandes Sporting CP Midfielder 2018–19 Bruno Fernandes Sporting CP Midfielder 2019–20 Jesús Corona Porto Winger 2020–21 Sebastián Coates Sporting CP Centre back 2021–22 Darwin Núñez Benfica Striker 2022–23 Otávio Porto Midfielder 2023–24 Viktor Gyökeres Sporting CP Striker 2024–25 Viktor Gyökeres Sporting CP Striker 2025–26 Victor Froholdt Porto Midfielder
Breakdown of winners By country Rank Country Number of wins Winning years1 7 2006, 2007, 2009, 2017, 2018, 2019, 20232 5 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 20163 2 2008, 2014 2024, 2025 2021, 20226 1 2013 2020 2026
By club Rank Club Number of wins Winning years1 Benfica8 2007, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2022 Porto 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2020, 2023, 20263 Sporting CP5 2018, 2019, 2021, 2024, 2025
Notes
A. First non-Portuguese player to win the award. B. First player to win the award twice. C. First non-Portuguese European player to win the award. D. Also won Primeira Liga Young Player of the Year Award.
References
External links The official website of LPFP The official website of CNID