Lionel Messi placed two players ahead of Vinicius Junior in his voting for the FIFA Best Men’s Player of the Year, even though the Brazilian winger was announced as the winner on Tuesday evening. The Real Madrid star, who played a pivotal role in his club’s La Liga and Champions League successes, finally received recognition after the debate sparked by Rodri’s Ballon d’Or victory.
Messi, an eight-time recipient of the accolade, ranked Vinicius third in his voting, indicating that the Argentinian wasn’t entirely convinced the Brazilian should have claimed the award.
Lionel Messi’s Votes For FIFA Best Men’s Player of the Year
The Argentinian voted in favour of two other La Liga stars ahead of Vinicius
Messi cast his votes for Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe ahead of selecting Vinicius Junior in third place. This follows the Argentine legend and current Inter Miami star previously overlooking the Brazilian in his Ballon d’Or predictions, where he backed his compatriot Lautaro Martinez as the most worthy of replacing him on the throne.
Certainly, Lamine Yamal’s contributions during Euro 2024 make his selection understandable. However, Mbappe’s inclusion raised a few eyebrows given his slow start as a Galactico. The French forward has struggled to find his best form lately and has yet to feature for France since the conclusion of the summer’s international tournament.
Meanwhile, the latter was unable to find himself in the FIFA Best Team of the Year, made up of Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Ruben Dias (Manchester City), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rudiger, Jude Bellingham, Toni Kroos (all Real Madrid), Rodri, Erling Haaland (both Man City), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) and Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid).