Full voting breakdown and points totals

There were no boycotts on Tuesday evening as Florentino Perez achieved his desired result at FIFA’s The Best ceremony.

While France Football failed to appease the desires of the Real Madrid president at the end of October, FIFA ensured galactico facilitator Perez departed Doha a happy man. He takes great pride in his superstars, and Madrid’s finest scooped up The Best Men’s Player award having controversially been snubbed in the Ballon d’Or vote.

Vinicius Junior’s outstanding 2024 doubtlessly deserved such recognition. The Brazilian inspired Madrid to yet another Champions League/La Liga double and has ascended into a realm where many regard him as the best of the best.

Vini beat out ten other nominees for the award, including Ballon d’Or victor Rodri as well as four past and present Real Madrid teammates. National team coaches and captains, as well as media representatives and fans all had their say in determining the victor. Here’s a breakdown of The Best Men’s Player vote.

The four groups of voters each make up 25% of the vote, with players accumulating scoring points which determined the overall winner. Vini Jr claimed 48 scoring points – the same as Lionel Messi’s haul in 2023 – having secured the most captain and fan votes by a huge margin.

Rodri was particularly admired by the national team coaches as well as the media (shown by his Ballon d’Or win), but his victory in these categories weren’t enough for him to pip Vinicius again. The Spaniard earned 43 scoring points.

The midfielder was outscored by third-place Jude Bellingham in the fan vote. The England international finished with 37 scoring points.

Dani Carvajal and teenage superstar Lamine Yamal also notched at least 30 points, while Messi’s perpetual popularity helped him to 25 points and a sixth-place finish after helping Argentina to Copa America glory in the summer.

Retired Madrid star Toni Kroos and Erling Haaland each accumulated 18 points, four more than Kylian Mbappe. Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz (eight) and Madrid midfield workhorse Federico Valverde (four) were the only two players to record single-digit point hauls.