The 2018 South American Footballer of the Year award (Spanish: Rey del Fútbol de América), given to the best football player in South America by Uruguayan newspaper El País through voting by journalists across the continent, was awarded to Argentine midfielder Gonzalo "Pity" Martínez of River Plate on December 31, 2018.
The award is part of the paper's "El Mejor de América" (The Best of America) awards, which also presents the awards for South American Coach of the Year (Entrenador del año en Sudamérica) and the Best XI (Equipo Ideal), composed of the best eleven players at their positions. Marcelo Gallardo of River Plate was named Coach of the Year.
Best Player RankPlayerNationalityClubVotes1Gonzalo Martínez River Plate1302Juan Fernando Quintero River Plate493Franco Armani River Plate404Josef Martínez Atlanta United235Nahitan Nández Boca Juniors186Wílmar Barrios Boca Juniors157Lucas Pratto River Plate88Dudu Palmeiras79Darío Benedetto Boca Juniors6Giorgian De Arrascaeta Cruzeiro611Miguel Borja Palmeiras512Rafael Santos Borré River Plate313Cristian Pavón Boca Juniors1Luan Grêmio1André-Pierre Gignac Tigres UANL1Lucas Lima Palmeiras1Pablo César Aguilar Cruz Azul1Ramón Ábila Boca Juniors1Óscar Cardozo Libertad1Cristian Rodríguez Peñarol1Emanuel Herrera Sporting Cristal1Pablo Escobar The Strongest1 Best Manager
RankPlayerNationalityClub / National teamVotes1Marcelo Gallardo River Plate2782Ricardo Gareca Peru national team163Gerardo Martino Atlanta United114Tiago Nunes Atlético Paranaense2Renato Portaluppi Grêmio2Tite Brazil national team27Ariel Holan Independiente1César Farías The Strongest1Guillermo Barros Schelotto Boca Juniors1Óscar Tabárez Uruguay national team1Diego López Peñarol1Lucas Pusineri Cúcuta Deportivo1Mario Salas Sporting Cristal1Pedro Caixinha Cruz Azul1Alexander Medina Nacional1 Best Team PositionPlayerNationalityClubGKFranco Armani River PlateCBWalter Kannemann GrêmioCBPedro Geromel GrêmioCBJonatan Maidana River PlateMFGonzalo Martínez River PlateMFExequiel Palacios River PlateMFWílmar Barrios Boca JuniorsMFNahitan Nández Boca JuniorsMFJuan Fernando Quintero River PlateMFDudu PalmeirasFWDarío Benedetto Boca Juniors National awards NationBest playerBest managerBest team Lisandro López (Racing Club) Marcelo Gallardo (River Plate)Boca Juniors Pablo Escobar (The Strongest) Eduardo Villegas (San José)San José Dudu (Palmeiras) Luiz Felipe Scolari (Palmeiras)Palmeiras José Pedro Fuenzalida (U. Católica) Francisco Bozán (U. de Concepción)Universidad Católica Germán Cano (Independiente Medellín) Julio Comesaña (Junior)Junior Jonathan Moya (Alajuelense) Martín Cardetti (San Carlos)Herediano Jhon Cifuente (U. Católica - ECU) Pablo Repetto (Liga de Quito)Emelec Josef Martinez (Atlanta United) Gerardo Martino (Atlanta United)Atlanta United Yustin Arboleda (Marathón) Héctor Vargas (Marathón)Motagua André-Pierre Gignac (Tigres UANL) Pedro Caixinha (Cruz Azul)América Roque Santa Cruz (Club Olimpia) Daniel Garnero (Club Olimpia)Olimpia Emanuel Herrera (Sporting Cristal) Mario Salas (Sporting Cristal)Sporting Cristal Kevin Dawson (Peñarol) Diego López (Peñarol)Peñarol Darwin González (Deportivo La Guaira) Alí Cañas (Zamora)Zamora References
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