Why Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t cast his vote for FIFA’s best player award

Vishal Bhawani

Why Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t cast his vote for FIFA’s best player award image

Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence from the voting records for The Best FIFA Men’s Player award has sparked curiosity among fans worldwide.

Traditionally, Ronaldo votes as the captain of Portugal. However, this time, the responsibility fell to Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva.

Silva selected Rodri, Vinícius Junior, and Erling Haaland as his top three picks. The Real Madrid star Vinícius eventually won the award, beating Rodri, the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner.

MORE: All the latest soccer action | Cristiano Ronaldo news 

Why Cristiano Ronaldo did not cast his vote?

Ronaldo, a two-time winner of this prestigious accolade in 2016 and 2017, was not even on this year’s list of nominees.

Interestingly, this is not the first time Ronaldo has opted out of voting duties. In recent years, veteran defender Pepe has occasionally stepped in to represent Portugal.

This recent delegation has fueled discussions about Ronaldo’s evolving role within the national team setup.

MORE: What Neymar did after Vinícius Junior was crowned best FIFA men’s player

Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2024/25 season

Despite his absence from the awards and voting process, Ronaldo continues to perform at an impressive level.

Playing for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, the 39-year-old forward has already racked up 16 goals and three assists in 19 matches this season.

Currently, the Saudi Pro League is on a mid-season break. His next challenge awaits on January 9, 2024, when Al Nassr takes on Al-Akhdood.

Vishal Bhawani

Vishal Bhawani Photo

Vishal Bhawani is a content producer for The Sporting News.