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Cristiano Ronaldo opted out of the voting process for FIFA's ‘The Best’ awards despite being the captain of Portugal and having the right to vote.
This decision left many surprised, as Ronaldo has been a perennial contender for these awards, often competing with Lionel Messi, who emerged as the winner this time.
Ronaldo's absence in the voting process
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Cristiano Ronaldo's decision not to participate in the voting for FIFA's ‘The Best’ awards comes as a shock to many. Normally, as a national team captain, he would be involved in this process; however, his role was assumed by Pepe, his national teammate.
According to Goal, this decision came as a result of Ronaldo's reduced role in the 2022 World Cup, where he saw less playing time under then-coach Fernando Santos while Pepe took on more responsibilities as the stand-in captain.
Pepe snubs Messi and opts for countryman instead
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Messi claimed the Best Men’s Player award, thanks in part to the overwhelming support he received from national team captains, coaches, and fans. His win was facilitated by votes from several national team captains, including England's Harry Kane and Belgium's Romelu Lukaku, among others.
However, Pepe's choices for the award diverged from the popular trend. He selected his compatriot Bernardo Silva as his top pick, followed by Erling Haaland and Nigeria's Victor Osimhen. This selection, particularly omitting Messi, could be seen as a continuation of the longstanding rivalry between Messi and Pepe from their La Liga days.
The voting patterns this year were varied and interesting, with Haaland receiving some notable backing over Messi. For instance, England manager Gareth Southgate did not include Messi in his top three, opting instead for Haaland, Rodri, and Silva. Germany's Julian Nagelsmann also left Messi out, favouring Mbappe, Gundogan, and Haaland.
Sweden’s captain and Manchester United defender, Victor Lindelof, also placed Haaland in first place, leaving the Manchester rivalry aside.
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