To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Portugal Issue Controversial Response After Lionel Messi Beats Cristiano Ronaldo To FIFA Best Award

Portugal Issue Controversial Response After Lionel Messi Beats Cristiano Ronaldo To FIFA Best Award

Messi was the surprise winner as Virgil van Dijk came second and two time winner Ronaldo finished in third place.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

The Portugal football team clearly weren't happy that Lionel Messi beat Cristiano Ronaldo to The FIFA Best Male Player of the Year award, responding to the news with a tweet.

Messi beat Ronaldo and Virgil van Dijk, with the Liverpool defender finishing second, to win FIFA's award for the first time since the split with the Ballon d'Or in 2016.

Unsurprisingly Portugal's Twitter account wasn't having the decision to name Ronaldo's rival as the world's best and instead of congratulating Messi just championed their country's all time top scorer.

It was a surprise that Messi won the award but not because he beat his rival Ronaldo but because he beat Liverpool centre back Van Dijk.

The Dutchman had beaten the two great forwards to UEFA's Player of the Year award earlier this month and was expected to add to his silverware.

Van Dijk helped Liverpool finish second in the league last season and won the Champions League and was also integral to Netherlands' run to the UEFA Nations League final.

Messi with Women's Best Player of the Year Megan Rapinoe. Image: PA Images
Messi with Women's Best Player of the Year Megan Rapinoe. Image: PA Images

Ronaldo's countrymen may feel aggrieved that his influence on the team to win the Nations League, as well as helping Juventus to an eighth Serie A in-a-row, would have been worth winning the award.

However Messi still showed his worth by being extremely important to Barca's La Liga winning season and topping the charts as Europe's top goalscorer, for a sixth time.

The now six time World Player of the Year, the first five being Ballon d'Ors, was unable to help his country to silverware though, as Argentina crashed out of the semi-finals of the Copa America.

Perhaps even more surprising to Portugal will be the omission of Bernardo Silva in the Fifpro XI of the year, whilst some far more odd selections have been included.

The Manchester City midfielder was integral to both club and country success, as City won the first ever English domestic treble and Portugal won the Nations League, but he missed out on the combined team.

Former Monaco and Porto player Bernardo was beaten by Luka Modric into the team despite the Croatian winning nothing with Real Madrid or his country in the last year and having a poor season.

What do you think is the worst decision of the night?

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: FIFA, Lionel Messi, Ballon d'Or, Virgil Van Dijk, The Best, Cristiano Ronaldo

Ryan is a writer for SPORTbible. He covers all sport from football, formula one, cricket, rugby, tennis, athletics, mma and wrestling. He obviously hates YOUR football team and has no interest in synchronised swimming.

X

@Sidler28