FIFA The Best: Cristiano Ronaldo skips FIFA Awards, Portugal captain does not vote for Best Player, Check why?

FIFA The Best: Cristiano Ronaldo chose to skip voting for the FIFA The Best Award winner. For the first time since 2006, he was left out of the FIFA FIFPRO World 11 which is awarded to best players in the world the previous year. He wasn’t also nominated in the top 14 for the FIFA The Best award. The star player who now plays for the Qatar club, Al Nassr didn’t attend the award ceremony either. Follow FIFA awards 2022 Updates on InsideSport.IN

Also read: FIFA Awards 2023 Highlights: Lionel Messi WINS FIFA Best Men’s Player, Lionel Scaloni, Emiliano Martinez BAG FIFA Men’s Coach & Best Goalkeeper AWARDS- Check Highlights

FIFA The Best: Cristiano Ronaldo skips FIFA Awards, Portugal captain does not vote for Best Player, Check why?

The winner of the FIFA The Best award is chosen by votes casted by selected coaches and national team captains. One of those selected was the Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo. However, the player spent most of his time on the bench throughout Portugal’s 2022 Qatar World Cup campaign.

FIFA later revealed that Ronaldo’s teammate from Real Madrid and Portugal National Team, Pepe voted in his place. According to reports, the Portuguese defender voted the PSG star Kylian Mbappe in 1st place followed by his former Real Madrid teammates Karim Benzema and Luka Modric.

Lionel Messi only named Kylian Mbappe THIRD for The Best award, while Harry Kane snubbed France’s star in the top three and Cristiano Ronaldo DIDN’T vote as captain and coach choices are revealed. #BallonDor pic.twitter.com/XribI8VvAZ

— Abaho Simon (@simaba2020) February 28, 2023

Kylian Mbappe got several votes and gave this year’s FIFA The Best player winner, Lionel Messi a good competition. Mbappe got a total of 44 scoring points which earned him the 2nd position. Whereas, Lionel Messi got a total of 52 scoring points that earned him the award.

FIFA The Best: Cristiano Ronaldo skips FIFA Awards, Portugal captain does not vote for Best Player, Check why?

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The other men’s awards given in the ceremony were the best coach won by World Cup winner Argentine Lionel Scaloni and best goalkeeper won by World Cup winner Argentine Emiliano Martinez. After winning the best player award, Lionel Messi said, “This is an honour for me. I want to thank my colleagues, including my manager Scaloni, and we’re here representing them all (the Argentina team), as we would not be here without them. It recognises the role they played in what we achieved.”

For the 38-year-old, age is just a number for the star player who’s having a gala time at his new club. Ronaldo has adapted to life quite well in Qatar and has already scored 8 goals which include 2 hat-tricks in only 6 matches. He’s already joined the race of the league’s topmost goalscorer and given his recent form, he is headed for another individual award next year.