Captain of the France team since the start of 2023, following the retirement of Hugo Lloris after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Kylian Mbappé was invited to vote, like national captains around the world, for the trophy of The Best Fifa Player. Last year, the French prodigy put his ex-teammate Lionel Messi ahead of Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne (La Pulga having been crowned The Best 2023 without much logic ahead of the Norwegian striker from Manchester City).
This time, for The Best FIFA Player 2024, Kylian Mbappé simply did not vote! Like the selectors, the national captains were contacted by Fifa after the publication of the list of 11 players nominated for the individual distinction on November 29. Almost all the captains of the major nations have given their top 3, probably via their federation. Cristiano Ronaldo, for example, is missing and it was Bernardo Silva who gave his podium.
Mbappé cut off from the world?
Since The Best Fifa Awards ceremony on Tuesday in Doha (on the eve of the Intercontinental Cup final won by Real Madrid ahead of Pachuca), there have been numerous theories concerning Mbappé’s “blank vote”. Real supporters, disappointed, believe that their new number 9 did not want to choose between two of his new teammates with the Merengues, namely “Vini”, the logical winner, and Bellingham, who came 3rd behind the Brazilian winger and the Ballon Gold 2024 Rodri.
Kylian Mbappé should certainly have given his vote to avoid any pseudo-controversy. The details of the votes were published by Fifa a few minutes after the announcement of the winner and the choice of Mbappé was inevitably going to be commented on all over the world. Another possible reason: the 2018 world champion did not respond to either Fifa or via the FFF after being sidelined by Didier Deschamps for the two matches (decisive in the Nations League) of the November international window.
