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8 months ago
50 ARTICLE AD
However, captain of the Portuguese selection, Cristiano Ronaldo did not vote for the title of The Best Fifa Player of the Year awarded to Lionel Messi. It was Pepe who chose Bernardo Silva, Erling Haaland and Victor Osimhen.
In the wake of Lionel Messi’s astonishing coronation on Monday evening, Fifa quickly published the details of the votes of captains, coaches and journalists from around the world for the trophy of The Best Fifa Player of the Year. Next to the “Captain” and “Portugal” boxes, we discover the name of “Kepler Ferreira”, who voted for his teammate Bernardo Silva, with Erling Haaland and Victor Osimhen as second choices.
It was indeed Pepe who participated in the ballot as captain of the Portuguese Seleçao in place of Cristiano Ronaldo. Last year, the five-time Ballon d’Or had already refused to vote and the Portuguese federation then requested a top 3 from the central defender (now 40 years old). Pepe certainly wore the armband at the kick-off of the last two matches of the 2022 World Cup against Switzerland and Morocco (“CR7” being relegated to the bench), but he only played one match with the national team in 2023…
This year again, Ronaldo is nowhere to be found in the voting details and that is not normal. National captains around the world are making an effort to respond to Fifa in the run-up to The Best Fifa Football Awards. And it would not have made any waves if the Al-Nassr player had not voted for his rival Messi. And this, even if Kylian Mbappé, Mohamed Salah, Luka Modric, Harry Kane, Robert Lewandowski, Son Heung-Min or Romelu Lukaku voted for “La Pulga”.
Written by:
Manu Tournoux is a passionate and knowledgeable football enthusiast with a special focus on French football. Born and raised in France, Manu discovered his love for the beautiful game at a young age and developed a deep understanding of the ins and outs of "Le Championnat." His French roots and extensive experience in football journalism have made him an invaluable asset to the French Football Weekly team. As an author for the website, Manu's expertise includes not only in-depth analysis of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches but also insightful profiles of up-and-coming talents, detailed transfer news, and engaging coverage of the French national team. His captivating writing style and undeniable passion for the game have earned him a loyal following among our readers. When he's not crafting engaging articles for French Football Weekly, Manu enjoys attending live matches whenever he can, exploring football culture in various French cities, and engaging in spirited debates with fellow fans. Feel free to follow Manu on Twitter and interact with him as he shares his expert opinions, insights, and love for French football.
