2018 South American Footballer of the Year
# 2018 South American Footballer of the Year

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

| Rank | Player | Nationality | Club | Votes |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Gonzalo Martínez | Argentina | River Plate | 130 |
| 2 | Juan Fernando Quintero | Colombia | River Plate | 49 |
| 3 | Franco Armani | Argentina | River Plate | 40 |
| 4 | Josef Martínez | Venezuela | Atlanta United | 23 |
| 5 | Nahitan Nández | Uruguay | Boca Juniors | 18 |
| 6 | Wílmar Barrios | Colombia | Boca Juniors | 15 |
| 7 | Lucas Pratto | Argentina | River Plate | 8 |
| 8 | Dudu | Brazil | Palmeiras | 7 |
| 9 | Darío Benedetto | Argentina | Boca Juniors | 6 |
| 9 | Giorgian De Arrascaeta | Uruguay | Cruzeiro | 6 |
| 11 | Miguel Borja | Colombia | Palmeiras | 5 |
| 12 | Rafael Santos Borré | Colombia | River Plate | 3 |
| 13 | Cristian Pavón | Argentina | Boca Juniors | 1 |
| 13 | Luan | Brazil | Grêmio | 1 |
| 13 | André-Pierre Gignac | France | Tigres UANL | 1 |
| 13 | Lucas Lima | Brazil | Palmeiras | 1 |
| 13 | Pablo César Aguilar | Paraguay | Cruz Azul | 1 |
| 13 | Ramón Ábila | Argentina | Boca Juniors | 1 |
| 13 | Óscar Cardozo | Paraguay | Libertad | 1 |
| 13 | Cristian Rodríguez | Uruguay | Peñarol | 1 |
| 13 | Emanuel Herrera | Argentina | Sporting Cristal | 1 |
| 13 | Pablo Escobar | Bolivia | The Strongest | 1 |

## Best Manager

| Rank | Player | Nationality | Club / National team | Votes |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Marcelo Gallardo | Argentina | River Plate | 278 |
| 2 | Ricardo Gareca | Argentina | Peru national team | 16 |
| 3 | Gerardo Martino | Argentina | Atlanta United | 11 |
| 4 | Tiago Nunes | Brazil | Atlético Paranaense | 2 |
| 4 | Renato Portaluppi | Brazil | Grêmio | 2 |
| 4 | Tite | Brazil | Brazil national team | 2 |
| 7 | Ariel Holan | Argentina | Independiente | 1 |
| 7 | César Farías | Venezuela | The Strongest | 1 |
| 7 | Guillermo Barros Schelotto | Argentina | Boca Juniors | 1 |
| 7 | Óscar Tabárez | Uruguay | Uruguay national team | 1 |
| 7 | Diego López | Uruguay | Peñarol | 1 |
| 7 | Lucas Pusineri | Argentina | Cúcuta Deportivo | 1 |
| 7 | Mario Salas | Chile | Sporting Cristal | 1 |
| 7 | Pedro Caixinha | Portugal | Cruz Azul | 1 |
| 7 | Alexander Medina | Uruguay | Nacional | 1 |

## Best Team

| Position | Player | Nationality | Club |
| - | - | - | - |
| GK | Franco Armani | Argentina | River Plate |
| CB | Walter Kannemann | Argentina | Grêmio |
| CB | Pedro Geromel | Brazil | Grêmio |
| CB | Jonatan Maidana | Argentina | River Plate |
| MF | Gonzalo Martínez | Argentina | River Plate |
| MF | Exequiel Palacios | Argentina | River Plate |
| MF | Wílmar Barrios | Colombia | Boca Juniors |
| MF | Nahitan Nández | Uruguay | Boca Juniors |
| MF | Juan Fernando Quintero | Colombia | River Plate |
| MF | Dudu | Brazil | Palmeiras |
| FW | Darío Benedetto | Argentina | Boca Juniors |

## National awards

| Nation | Best player | Best manager | Best team |
| - | - | - | - |
| Argentina | Lisandro López (Racing Club) | Marcelo Gallardo (River Plate) | Boca Juniors |
| Bolivia | Pablo Escobar (The Strongest) | Eduardo Villegas (San José) | San José |
| Brazil | Dudu (Palmeiras) | Luiz Felipe Scolari (Palmeiras) | Palmeiras |
| Chile | José Pedro Fuenzalida (U. Católica) | Francisco Bozán (U. de Concepción) | Universidad Católica |
| Colombia | Germán Cano (Independiente Medellín) | Julio Comesaña (Junior) | Junior |
| Costa Rica | Jonathan Moya (Alajuelense) | Martín Cardetti (San Carlos) | Herediano |
| Ecuador | Jhon Cifuente (U. Católica - ECU) | Pablo Repetto (Liga de Quito) | Emelec |
| United States | Josef Martinez (Atlanta United) | Gerardo Martino (Atlanta United) | Atlanta United |
| Honduras | Yustin Arboleda (Marathón) | Héctor Vargas (Marathón) | Motagua |
| Mexico | André-Pierre Gignac (Tigres UANL) | Pedro Caixinha (Cruz Azul) | América |
| Paraguay | Roque Santa Cruz (Club Olimpia) | Daniel Garnero (Club Olimpia) | Olimpia |
| Peru | Emanuel Herrera (Sporting Cristal) | Mario Salas (Sporting Cristal) | Sporting Cristal |
| Uruguay | Kevin Dawson (Peñarol) | Diego López (Peñarol) | Peñarol |
| Venezuela | Darwin González (Deportivo La Guaira) | Alí Cañas (Zamora) | Zamora |
