The Algerian Footballer of the Year award is given to the best Algerian football player. It was started in 2001, by El Heddaf-Le Buteur. The first winner of the award was Olympique de Marseille midfielder Djamel Belmadi. As of 2015, only Karim Ziani and Madjid Bougherra have won the award on two occasions, and also only have won the award in consecutive seasons. Of the five, only Ziani won his awards playing for two different teams.