The same year the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan was founded, an award for the best Azerbaijani Footballer of the Year began being given every year. The first award was given to former Azerbaijan national football team striker Samir Alakbarov in 1991, and was further awarded in succession in 1992 and 1993. The Azerbaijan national football team captain Rashad Sadygov has the most number of awards at six. The striker Vagif Javadov became the youngest player to win the award in 2009 at the age of 20. The midfielder Mahmud Gurbanov became the oldest player to win the award in 2007 at the age of 34. The award was not given in 1995.