As we all know, in late October, Vinícius Jr. lost out on the Ballon d’Or. He had been considered a strong contender for the award, but just before the ceremony, Real Madrid announced on social media that all their players would boycott the event. In the end, Vinícius did not win, and instead, Manchester City’s Rodri took home the award. This result angered Real Madrid and Vinícius‘s fans. The club later publicly criticized those who didn’t vote for Vinícius.
Now, the nominees for the 2024 FIFA Best Men’s Player award have been announced. Vinícius and Rodri are both on the list, and their names are once again in the spotlight.
Other football stars on the list include Messi (a three-time winner of the award), Bellingham (Vinícius‘s Real Madrid teammate), Haaland (a Manchester City player), and Lamine Yamal (a Spanish player).
Although the Ballon d’Or voting sparked controversy — many believe the media played a big role in influencing the result — the voting system for The Best FIFA Men’s Player award is different. The votes will be equally divided among fans, the captains and coaches of all men’s and women’s national teams, and selected media representatives.
This voting system is likely to be seen as more open, transparent, and trustworthy by fans.
The FIFA Best Men’s Player Award ceremony will take place in January 2024. Unlike the Ballon d’Or, which considers the previous season, this award looks at performances throughout the entire calendar year.
Fan voting will close on December 10, 2024. If there’s a player you support, make sure to cast your vote before it’s too late!
