Top 10 Fair Play Footballers in the World

Togo's footballer, Francis Koné, was awarded the 2017 FIFA Fair Play Award in London for saving the life of goalkeeper Martin Berkovec during a match in the Czech First League between FC Slovacko and Bohemians 1905 Praha. During the first half of the match, when Bohemians' goalkeeper Berkovec rushed out of his penalty area to clear the ball, he collided with defender Daniel Krch and fell unconscious to the ground.

Francis Koné didn't hesitate to rush to help Berkovec, who was choking. Koné's quick action saved Berkovec's life, just like he had saved three other players in similar situations on the field. The Togo-born player continued to receive widespread praise and recognition. Francis Koné became a symbol of solidarity on the pitch, showing that unity must prevail, no matter the challenges. He remains the only African player to receive one of the prestigious honors at the FIFA awards ceremony held in London in 2017.

Paolo Di Canio began his football career with Lazio, later playing for Ternana, Juventus, Napoli, and AC Milan before joining Celtic in 1996. He was awarded the 2001 FIFA Fair Play Award for an exceptional act of sportsmanship during a match between West Ham and Everton on December 16, 2000. In the match, Everton's goalkeeper Paul Gerrard was injured in the penalty box as Di Canio received a pass from Trevor Sinclair.

With the goal wide open, Di Canio chose to catch the ball instead of scoring, preventing an unfair goal. Had he scored, West Ham would have almost certainly won the match 2-1. This remarkable gesture highlighted Di Canio's unparalleled sportsmanship. However, his career was marred by controversies, and in late 1998, he was banned for eight matches after pushing referee Paul Alcock to the ground following a red card while playing for Sheffield Wednesday.

Lucas Radebe is a retired South African footballer who initially played as a goalkeeper before moving to central midfield and eventually becoming a central defender for Kaizer Chiefs, Leeds United, and the South African national team. He started his career with Kaizer Chiefs in South Africa before transferring to Leeds United, where he played 256 matches for the Yorkshire club. Radebe received the 2000 FIFA Fair Play Award for his efforts in combating racism in football.

Radebe became the captain of both Leeds United and the South African national team. During a visit to Leeds in April 2001, the legendary Nelson Mandela declared Radebe “my hero.” He also captained Kaizer Chiefs during his time with the club and was honored with the PFA Special Achievement Award for his contributions to English football in 2010. Radebe's name is still widely revered in LS11, a true testament to his legacy at Leeds United.

Julie Foudy is a retired American midfielder who won two FIFA Women's World Cup titles and two Olympic gold medals. She played for the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team from 1988 to 2004, concluding her international career with 274 caps. Foudy served as team captain from 2000 to 2004 and as co-captain from 1991 to 2000.

In 1997, Julie Foudy became the first American and the first woman to receive the FIFA Fair Play Award for her efforts to combat child labor in the sports equipment industry. For her achievements in U.S. soccer, Foudy was awarded the Golden Blazer in 2015 by Men in Blazers. Beyond football, she has been actively involved in political causes related to women's rights and labor rights. Foudy currently works as an analyst, reporter, and prominent color commentator for women’s soccer broadcasts on ESPN.

George Weah is a Liberian politician and former professional footballer, currently serving as the President of Liberia since 2018. He played as a striker during his 18-year football career, which ended in 2003. Starting his career in Liberia, Weah spent 14 years playing for clubs in France, Italy, and England. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest African footballers of all time.

Weah was named FIFA World Player of the Year and won the Ballon d'Or, becoming the first and only African player to achieve these honors while representing an African nation on the international stage. He was awarded the 1996 FIFA Fair Play Award for his genuine love for the game and his efforts in promoting the message of fair play to a global audience. In 1997, the former international football star became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, playing a vital role in supporting HIV/AIDS education programs and other projects in Ghana and Liberia.

Jacques Glassman is a former French footballer who played as a defender. He began his professional career at the age of 16 in a top-tier match between his club, RC Strasbourg, and FC Nantes in November 1978. Glassman spent six seasons with the 1979 French champions before moving to FC Mulhouse. After a year at Tours Football Club, he played another five seasons in the second division with Valenciennes-Anzin.

Glassman received the 1995 FIFA Fair Play Award for his courageous decision to expose a bribery scandal involving Valenciennes and Marseille. He, along with teammates Jorge Burruchaga and Christophe Robert, was offered a bribe by the leaders of Olympique de Marseille to ensure a Marseille victory and prevent any of their players from being injured before the 1993 UEFA Champions League final.

Jorginho, whose full name is Jorge de Amorim Campos, is a retired Brazilian footballer and coach. Known for his speed, technical skill, and hard work, Jorginho is considered one of the best right-backs of his generation and one of Brazil's greatest defenders of all time. He played for several clubs in his home country and spent six years in Germany with Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich, as well as three years in Japan with Kashima Antlers.

Jorginho received the 1991 FIFA Fair Play Award for his exceptional football career and his acts of kindness both on and off the pitch. He was a key member of the Brazil national team that won the 1994 World Cup. After retiring in 2002, Jorginho briefly took up coaching before serving as an assistant coach to Dunga for the Brazilian national team for four years.

Luka Lochoshvili is a 24-year-old Georgian defender currently playing for Serie A side Cremonese. A tall center-back, he has played for five clubs in five different countries since making his debut for Dinamo Tbilisi B in 2014. Lochoshvili represented Georgia at various youth levels and earned his first senior cap during his impressive time in Austria. The Georgian footballer was honored with the 2022 FIFA Fair Play Award for his heroic intervention that saved a life during a Bundesliga match in February 2022.

Lochoshvili, then playing for Wolfsberger, acted swiftly when Georg Teigl of Austria Vienna was knocked unconscious following a collision. After Teigl swallowed his tongue, Lochoshvili cleared his airways, helping to revive him. Teigl was later treated in a local hospital and made a full recovery. At the end of the match, players from both teams ran to thank and congratulate Lochoshvili for his quick thinking and life-saving actions.

Mattia Agnese is an Italian defender who earned the 2020 FIFA Fair Play Award after saving the life of an opponent in January 2019. At just 17 years old, Agnese was playing for Ospedaletti, a semi-professional club based in the Liguria region of Italy. The young footballer received the award 'virtually' from Milan legend Ruud Gullit for his quick and brave actions in providing life-saving first aid to an unconscious opponent following a collision on the pitch.

Having learned basic first aid techniques by watching YouTube videos, Agnese’s intervention led to him being honored with the FIFA Fair Play Award in Zurich. He was later inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame. Notably, Agnese became friends with the opponent he saved, who later reached out to thank him after making a full recovery. Despite his youth, Agnese has already achieved remarkable feats and continues to inspire other players.

Lennart Thy, the German forward, was playing for the Turkish club Büyükşehir Belediye Erzurumspor when he made a selfless decision that earned him global recognition. While on loan at VVV-Venlo from German Bundesliga side Werder Bremen, he missed a crucial match against PSV Eindhoven in the Eredivisie. His reason for skipping the game? He chose to donate stem cells to try to save the life of a leukemia patient.

This generous act not only raised awareness about the importance of stem cell donations but also had a significant impact on blood donation efforts. For his extraordinary gesture, Lennart Thy was awarded the FIFA Fair Play Award in 2018 after the act took place in March 2017 while playing for the Dutch club VVV-Venlo. His humble gesture received widespread support from fans and players around the world and led to a notable increase in stem cell donation drives in the Netherlands.