FIFA Best Awards: Who voted for who… and who got snubbed?
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Published 09/01/2017 at 21:41 GMT
Football’s award ceremonies are always tainted by politics, with tactical votes again smattered across FIFA’s Best Awards.
Manuel Neuer, Dani Alves, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Christiano Ronaldo pose with the hosts
Image credit: Reuters
Breaking news: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo voted for each other at the inaugural Best FIFA Football Awards.
Just kidding. Of course they didn’t.
It was Ronaldo who triumphed in their unceasing duel this time around – adding the FIFA’s Best Men’s Player Award to his Ballon d’Or trophy – but, yet again, peculiar voting was in abundance.
Predictably, the great rivals – awarded a vote as captains of their respective national sides – overlooked the other’s achievements, instead choosing to recognise the contributions of their club colleagues.
Ronaldo nominated Real Madrid team-mates Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Sergio Ramos for the award, while Messi opted for fellow Barcelona stars Luis Suarez, Neymar and Andres Iniesta.
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People line up to take a picture with Real Madrid's Christiano Ronaldo before the start of the ceremony
Image credit: Reuters
The 31-year-old Ronaldo received 34.54% of the vote, with Messi and Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann trailing on 26.42% and 7.53% respectively.
It wasn’t all tactical. Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos voted for two Barcelona players, Messi and Andres Iniesta, while Brazil captain Dani Alves put compatriot Neymar behind Messi.
Jamie Vardy has fans in remote places
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Leicester City's English striker Jamie Vardy poses with the Premier league trophy after winning the league and the English Premier League football match between Leicester City and Everton at King Power Stadium in Leicester, central England on May 7, 2016.
Image credit: AFP
Fresh from finishing in eighth in the Ballon d’Or, Jamie Vardy received a healthy dose of votes in the FIFA edition – albeit from unusual sources.
Turks and Caicos Islands captain and manager combo Billy Forbes and Oliver Smith deemed the Leicester City striker’s heroics worthy of top spot, as did Chinese Taipei manager Kazuo Kuroda and nominated Vanuatu journalist Raymond Nase.
Leicester team-mate Riyad Mahrez topped five voters’ poll cards, while N’Golo Kante received a few second- and third-place votes.
Future of England is in safe hands
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England Manager Gareth Southgate poses after the press conference
Image credit: Reuters
England manager Gareth Southgate was one of the few to acknowledge Kante’s ridiculous 2016, which saw the combative midfielder win the Premier League with Leicester, jump ship to Chelsea in the summer and help his new employers to the table summit.
There was no place for Messi in Southgate’s top three, with Kante finishing behind Ronaldo and Griezmann, suggesting the new gaffer is brave enough to ditch a big name when the time comes…
Meanwhile, Lesotho journalist Pascalina Kabi elected Paul Pogba as his champion.
Notable votes
Lionel Messi (Argentina captain): Luis Suarez, Neymar, Andres Iniesta
Dani Alves (Brazil captain): Lionel Messi, Neymar, Luis Suarez
Wayne Rooney (England captain): Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Suarez, Jamie Vardy
Hugo Lloris (France captain): Antoine Griezmann, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo
Manuel Neuer (Germany captain): Toni Kroos, Mesut Ozil, Robert Lewandowski
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal captain): Gareth Bale, Luka Modric, Sergio Ramos
Sergio Ramos (Spain captain): Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta
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