List of winners
| Year | Player | National team represented | Club team represented | Position played primarily |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Landon Donovan |  | San Jose Earthquakes ( | Forward |
| 2003 | Ronaldo |  | Real Madrid (  | Forward |
| 2004 | David Beckham |  | Real Madrid ( | Midfielder |
The Best Male Soccer Player ESPY Award was presented annually to the male soccer (association football) player adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year amongst those contesting the sport on the professional or international level. The award, along with the Best Female Soccer Player ESPY Award, evolved from the Best Soccer Player ESPY Award, which was awarded in 2000 and 2001, and the latter once more absorbed the gender-specific awards in 2005.
During the award's three years, the voting panel comprised variously fans, who participated through Internet balloting; sportswriters and broadcasters, sports executives, and retired sportspersons, termed collectively experts; and ESPN personalities. The ESPY Awards ceremony was conducted in June and awards conferred reflected performance and achievement over the twelve months previous to presentation. [1]
| Year | Player | National team represented | Club team represented | Position played primarily |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Landon Donovan | | San Jose Earthquakes ( | Forward |
| 2003 | Ronaldo | | Real Madrid ( | Forward |
| 2004 | David Beckham | | Real Madrid ( | Midfielder |
An ESPY Award is an accolade currently presented by the American broadcast television network ABC, and previously ESPN, to recognize individual and team athletic achievement and other sports-related performance during the calendar year preceding a given annual ceremony. The first ESPYs were awarded in 1993. Because of the ceremony's rescheduling prior to the 2002 iteration thereof, awards presented in 2002 were for achievement and performances during the seventeen-plus previous months. As the similarly styled Grammy, Emmy, Academy Award, and Tony, the ESPYs are hosted by a contemporary celebrity; the style, though, is lighter, more relaxed and self-referential than many other awards shows, with comedic sketches usually included.
The Best Male Athlete ESPY Award, known alternatively as the Outstanding Male Athlete ESPY Award, is an annual award honoring the achievements of individual men from the world of sports. It has been presented annually at the ESPY Awards since 1993 to the male voted irrespective of nationality or sport contested, adjudged to be the best athlete in a given calendar year. The Best Male Athlete ESPY Award trophy, designed by sculptor Lawrence Nowlan, is presented to the recipient at an annual ceremony in Los Angeles. Since 2004, the winner has been chosen by online balloting through three to five choices selected by the ESPN Select Nominating Committee. Before that, determination of the winners was made by an panel of experts. Through the 2001 iteration of the ESPY Awards, ceremonies were conducted in February of each year to honor achievements over the previous calendar year; awards presented thereafter are conferred in July and reflect performance from the June previous.
The Best Major League Baseball Player ESPY Award, known alternatively as the Best Baseball Player ESPY Award, has been presented annually since 1993 to the Major League Baseball (MLB) player adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year, typically most significantly in the MLB season in progress during the holding of the ESPY Awards ceremony.
The Best Boxer ESPY Award was presented annually between 1993 and 2006 to the professional or amateur boxer, irrespective of nationality, adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year. The award was subsumed in 2007 by the Best Fighter ESPY Award, for which both boxers and mixed martial arts fighters are eligible.
The Best College Football Player ESPY Award was presented annually between 1993 and 2001 to the collegiate American football player adjudged to be the best in the United States in a given calendar year. The award was subsumed in 2002 by the Best Male College Athlete ESPY Award.
The Best Male College Basketball Player ESPY Award was presented annually between 1993 and 2001 to the male collegiate basketball player adjudged to be the best in the United States in a given calendar year. The award was subsumed in 2002 by the Best Male College Athlete ESPY Award.
The Best Female College Basketball Player ESPY Award was presented annually between 1993 and 2001 to the female collegiate basketball player adjudged to be the best in the United States in a given calendar year. The award was subsumed in 2002 by the Best Female College Athlete ESPY Award.
The Best Female Golfer ESPY Award has been presented annually in two different periods to the professional female golfer adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year. It was originally presented between 1993 and 2004, but was, along with the parallel Best Male Golfer ESPY Award, subsumed in 2005 by the Best Golfer ESPY Award. In 2009, the awards were again bifurcated by sex.
The Best Male Golfer ESPY Award has been presented annually in two different periods to the professional male golfer adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year. It was originally presented between 1993 and 2004, but was, along with the parallel Best Female Golfer ESPY Award, subsumed in 2005 by the Best Golfer ESPY Award. The Best Male and Female Golfer Awards returned to the ESPY list in 2009.
The Best Male Tennis Player ESPY Award has been presented annually since 1993 to the professional male tennis player adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year.
The Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award has been presented annually since 1993 to the professional female tennis player adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year.
The Best Coach/Manager ESPY Award has been presented annually since 1993 to the head coach or manager of a team contesting play in a professional North American or collegiate sports league adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year.
The Best Male Track Athlete ESPY Award was presented annually between 1993 and 2006 to the male track and field athlete, irrespective of nationality, adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year. Beginning in 2007, this award was combined with the parallel Best Female Track Athlete ESPY Award into the single Best Track and Field Athlete ESPY Award.
The Best Female Track Athlete ESPY Award was presented annually between 1993 and 2006 to the female track and field athlete, irrespective of nationality, adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year. Beginning in 2007, this award was combined with the parallel Best Male Track Athlete ESPY Award into the single Best Track and Field Athlete ESPY Award.
The Best Male College Athlete ESPY Award was an annual award honoring the achievements of a male individual from the world of collegiate sports. It was first presented as part of the ESPY Awards in 2002, following the subsumption of the Best College Football Player and Best Male College Basketball Player ESPY Awards, each of which Best Male College Basketball Player ESPY Award were presented annually between 1993 and 2001, inclusive. The Best Male College Athlete ESPY Award trophy, designed by sculptor Lawrence Nowlan, was awarded to the sportsman adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year of those contesting collegiate sport in the United States through the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
The Best Bowler ESPY Award has been presented annually since 1995 to the best ten-pin bowler, irrespective of gender, adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year of those contesting the sport professionally in the United States. To date, the award has only been presented to male bowlers.
The Best Female Soccer Player ESPY Award was presented annually between 2002 and 2004 to the female soccer player adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year among those contesting the sport on the professional or international level. The award—and the Best Male Soccer Player ESPY Award—evolved from the Best Soccer Player ESPY Award, which was awarded in 2000 and 2001, and the latter once more absorbed the gender-specific awards in 2005.
The Best Soccer Player category of the ESPY Award was presented in 2000, 2001, 2005, and 2006 to the soccer player adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year among those contesting the sport on the professional or international level, irrespective of gender or nation represented. The award was bifurcated in 2002, but the resulting Best Male and Best Female Soccer Player ESPY Awards were joined once more in 2005. The award was effectively discontinued in 2005 and replaced by the Best MLS Player ESPY Award, as the 2006 award went to a worldwide star not to an American as in the previous years.
The Best Athlete with a Disability ESPY Award was an annual award honoring the achievements of an athlete from the world of disabled sports. It was first presented as part of the ESPY Awards at the 2002 edition as part of the ceremony's tenth anniversary of its establishment. The Best Athlete with a Disability ESPY Award trophy, designed by sculptor Lawrence Nowlan, was presented to the disabled sportsperson adjudged to be the best at the annual ESPY Awards ceremony in Los Angeles. For the 2004 ceremony, the winner was chosen by online voting through choices selected by the ESPN Select Nominating Committee. Before that, determination of the winners was made by an panel of experts. Through the 2001 iteration of the ESPY Awards, ceremonies were conducted in February of each year to honor achievements over the previous calendar year; awards presented thereafter are conferred in July and reflect performance from the June previous.
The Best Action Sports Athlete ESPY Award was an annual award honoring the achievements of an athlete from the world of action sports. It was first awarded as part of the ESPY Awards in the 2002 ceremony. The Best Action Sports Athlete ESPY Award trophy, created by sculptor Lawrence Nowlan, was presented to the action sports athlete adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year. Balloting for the award was undertaken by a panel of experts who composed the ESPN Select Nominating Committee. Through the 2001 iteration of the ESPY Awards, ceremonies were conducted in February of each year to honor achievements over the previous calendar year; awards presented thereafter are conferred in July and reflect performance from the June previous.