The poll for Oceania's Footballer of the Year has been going on since 1988. Sports journalists vote for the best footballer on the continent. All players who have the citizenship of an oceanic state are eligible. This also explains the two victories of Christian Karembeu , who played for the French national football team but was born in New Caledonia .
The award ceremonies were initially discontinued in 2004, but on December 22, 2008 the OFC announced the continuation of the award. The awards for 2005, 2006 and 2007 were thus awarded retrospectively. After Australia joined the Asian Football Association on January 1, 2006 , the award can no longer be given to players of Australian nationality.
Record winners are Wynton Rufer and Harry Kewell , each with three awards. So far, the award has almost only been won by players who played in Europe in the year in which they were awarded.
On the occasion of the turn of the century, Oceania's footballer of the century was voted - uniquely so far . The award was given by the IFFHS . The winner of the election was Wynton Rufer from New Zealand ahead of Frank Farina and Christian Karembeu . The award for Oceania's Goalkeeper of the Century was also awarded by the IFFHS . The choice was won by Australian Mark Bosnich , who was the only goalkeeper to date to also win the Footballer of the Year award:
