Featured Image Credit: Getty & FIFA
Topics: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Ballon d'Or
Josh Lawless
FIFA's The Best awards takes place on Monday evening, with Vinicius Jr and Rodri both on the shortlist for the Best Men’s Player award after the former was beaten by the Manchester City star for the Ballon d'Or earlier this year.
Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi are also on the 11-man shortlist for the gong, which allows captains of national teams to have their say on all their individual awards as part of the voting.
Coaches, an allocated journalist from country and fans, also get to have a say with a top three in each category.
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But players are known to be rather tactical with the votes and that can be seen in the selections from two of the very best players in history.
There is a mutual respect between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who have dominated the individual awards over the years.
Yet despite this, neither have ever picked another as their number one selection in an individual award - whether it be in the FIFA's awards or the coveted Ballon d'Or.
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When the Ballon d'Or was merged with FIFA, there were no votes at all between the pair until Messi finally ended the spell - placing Ronaldo in his top three two years in a row in 2018 and 2019.
Ronaldo returned the favour a year later, putting Messi second in his top three for 'The Best' when Robert Lewandowski was the winner.
Last year, Messi beat Erling Haaland to win the FIFA Men's Best Player award, and put the Norwegian as his first pick in a top three which featured Mbappe and his Argentina teammate Julian Alvarez.
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Although he has been the Portugal captain for a number of years now, he decided against voting in both 2022 and 2023, with his international teammate Pepe assuming duties instead.
Ballon d'Or:
2010: Didn't vote
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2011: Xavi, Iniesta, Aguero
2012: Iniesta, Xavi, Aguero
2013: Iniesta, Xavi, Neymar
2014: Di Maria, Iniesta, Mascherano
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2015: Suarez, Neymar, Iniesta
FIFA 'The Best':
2016: Suarez, Neymar, Iniesta
2017: Suarez, Iniesta, Neymar
2018: Modric, Mbappe, Ronaldo
2019: Mane, Ronaldo, De Jong
2020: Neymar, Mbappe, Lewandowski
2021: Neymar, Mbappe, Benzema
2022: Neymar, Mbappe, Benzema
2023: Haaland, Mbappe, Alvarez
Ballon d'Or:
2010: Xavi, Casillas, Sneijder
2011: Did not vote
2012: Did not vote
2013: Falcao, Bale, Ozil
2014: Ramos, Bale, Benzema
2015: Benzema, James Rodriguez, Bale
FIFA's 'The Best':
2016: Bale, Modric, Ramos
2017: Modric, Ramos, Marcelo
2018: Varane, Modric, Griezmann
2019: De Ligt, De Jong, Mbappe
2020: Lewandowski, Messi, Mbappe
2021: Lewandowski, Kante, Jorginho
2022: Did not vote
2023: Did not vote