The Best 2024: Surprising Voting Choices Following Vinícius Júnior’s Victory

On Tuesday, Vinícius Júnior was crowned as The Best FIFA Men’s Player for 2024, surpassing both Rodri and Jude Bellingham in the rankings.

While the Brazilian’s triumph sparked little controversy, some of the voting decisions made by national captains and coaches raised eyebrows in the football world.

After narrowly missing out on the Ballon d’Or to Rodri earlier this year, Vinícius took revenge with The Best award, which was handed out just before Real Madrid’s Intercontinental Cup final against Pachuca. Vinícius edged out the Spaniard from Manchester City and his Real Madrid teammate Jude Bellingham, who finished third in the rankings.

While Vinícius’s victory seemed inevitable, a closer look at the voting process revealed some unexpected choices. For example, Federico Valverde, though far from the podium in the overall ranking, received a first-place vote from Quinton Griffith, the captain of Antigua and Barbuda. Griffith’s vote was entirely pro-Madrid, with Vinícius and Bellingham completing his top three.

Marcelo Bielsa, Uruguay’s national team coach, raised eyebrows with his vote. He placed Lionel Messi and Rodri in his top two positions, leaving Valverde, his own countryman, in third. Bielsa’s decisions mirrored those of Didier Deschamps, who voted Vinícius as the best but chose to place France’s captain, Kylian Mbappé, in second.

A nationalistic bias appeared in the votes of Julian Nagelsmann, who put Florian Wirtz, his German compatriot, at the top of his list. Rodri and Toni Kroos completed Nagelsmann’s trio, leaving out the more widely favored candidates. Switzerland’s coach, Murat Yakin, also surprised many by excluding the eventual top three from his picks. Instead, Yakin opted for Wirtz, Valverde, and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal.

Lionel Messi himself showed support for emerging talents, placing Yamal as his top pick, followed by Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius. Messi’s vote underscored his admiration for the next generation of footballers, highlighting his respect for players beyond the mainstream selections.

Kylian Mbappé’s position in the rankings was another topic of discussion. While Didier Deschamps refrained from placing his captain at the top, Mbappé received backing from several international figures. Coaches from nations like Indonesia, Laos, Liechtenstein, and Tanzania voted for the French star. On the players’ side, Milan Škriniar and Achraf Hakimi, both of whom share a personal bond with Mbappé, placed him first.

Italy’s captain, Gianluigi Donnarumma, also showed faith in Mbappé, ranking him second behind Lionel Messi but ahead of Vinícius. Meanwhile, Chancel Mbemba of Olympique de Marseille added a unique twist. Despite Mbappé’s past ties to PSG, Mbemba chose the Frenchman as his top pick, ahead of Vinícius and Yamal.

Contrastingly, another Marseille player, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, diverged from popular opinion entirely, naming Erling Haaland as the best player in the world. Højbjerg’s vote made him the only international figure to rank the Norwegian striker first, providing a rare nod to Haaland in a ceremony dominated by Real Madrid stars.

The diversity in votes painted a complex picture of global football loyalties. While some votes reflected national or personal biases, others demonstrated a willingness to recognize emerging talent and unconventional choices.

As Vinícius basks in his well-deserved glory, the discussions surrounding the voting process continue to shed light on the subjective nature of awards in football. The varying perspectives serve as a reminder of the sport’s global reach and the differing priorities of its many stakeholders.

While the ceremony celebrated Vinícius’s rise to the pinnacle of world football, it also highlighted the complexities of individual preferences and allegiances in such a prestigious competition. Ultimately, the debates only add to the intrigue and drama that make football’s global awards ceremonies so captivating.

For Kylian Mbappé, the mixed reception serves as both a reflection of his polarizing status and a testament to his influence on the sport. As one of the brightest stars in football, he remains at the heart of discussions, even when overshadowed by the triumphs of others.

This year’s The Best awards not only celebrated excellence on the pitch but also revealed the intricate dynamics of football politics, leaving fans eager to see how the next season will shape future accolades.