Messi voted for a Real Madrid player, and Cristiano Ronaldo didn't vote — FIFA The Best drama

Following Ousmane Dembélé's triumph at the 2025 FIFA The Best awards and Aitana Bonmatí's historic third consecutive women's award, attention has turned to the voting patterns of football's biggest names. While Lionel Messi's ballot choices have been made public, Cristiano Ronaldo's conspicuous absence from the voting process has sparked widespread curiosity.The ceremony has also drawn criticism from fans over the exclusion of Raphinha from the FIFA Best XI, a controversial omission we'll examine later.

Messi's voting choices

Despite being omitted from The Best nominations for the first time in 18 years, the Argentine captain fulfilled his voting duties across multiple categories. His selections revealed loyalty to former teammates and preferences that differed from Ballon d'Or outcomes.

For Player of the Year, Messi placed Dembele at the top, followed by Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe and young sensation Lamine Yamal. In the coaching category, he backed PSG's Luis Enrique first, Barcelona's Hansi Flick second, and Arsenal's Mikel Arteta third.

Perhaps most surprisingly, Messi selected former PSG teammate Gianluigi Donnarumma as his top goalkeeper choice, placing Argentina's own Emiliano Martínez in second position, with Real Madrid's Thibaut Courtois completing his top three. Lionel Messi, who is a La Masia product, Barcelona through and through has chosen his options wisely without any vias and includign real Madrid players have made fans talking. He is a true sportsman, fans are aying.

Lionel Messi, a La Masia product and Barcelona through and through, has demonstrated remarkable sportsmanship with his voting choices. Despite his deep-rooted connection to the Catalan club, the Argentine legend made his selections without any bias, even including Real Madrid players in his ballot—a gesture that has set social media ablaze with praise.

Fans have lauded Messi as a "true sportsman" for putting personal rivalries aside and recognizing quality regardless of club allegiances. His willingness to vote for El Clasico rivals has been viewed as a testament to his integrity and respect for the game, further cementing his status as one of football's most dignified ambassadors.

Why Ronaldo didn't vote

When FIFA published the comprehensive voting breakdown, Ronaldo's name was notably missing. Instead, Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva submitted Portugal's ballot, selecting Vitinha, Nuno Mendes, and Dembélé as his top three.

This marks a pattern rather than an anomaly. Although Ronaldo regularly captains Portugal on the pitch, he hasn't served as the official voting representative for the past three editions of The Best awards. Previously, both Silva and Pepe have handled Portugal's voting responsibilities.

The explanation appears rooted in Ronaldo's well-documented stance on individual honors. The Al-Nassr forward has repeatedly expressed skepticism about the credibility of major awards, making public statements suggesting these accolades have lost their significance to him. This position extends to both The Best and the Ballon d'Or ceremonies.

The voting process

Unlike the Ballon d'Or, FIFA's The Best award incorporates votes from national team captains and coaches, media representatives, and fan participation in specific categories. The system provides each eligible national team captain the opportunity to vote, though teams can designate alternate representatives.

Silva's voting choices reflected a French-Portuguese connection, with two PSG players and one former Lille midfielder making his selections. This contrasts with Messi's more diverse ballot spanning multiple clubs and nationalities.

The revelation of these voting patterns offers insight into how football's elite view their peers, with personal relationships and playing philosophies often influencing selections. Messi's choices particularly highlighted his appreciation for technical players and managers who favor possession-based football.

As individual awards continue to generate debate within football, the differing approaches of legends like Messi and Ronaldo toward these ceremonies underscore the evolving conversation about their relevance in the modern game.