Vinicius Jr Crowned FIFA Best Men's Player of the Year

The 24-year-old Vinícius Jr. and his club, Real Madrid, boycotted the recent Ballon d'Or ceremony after he missed out on the award to Manchester City's Rodri. However, he claimed the FIFA Best Men's Player of the Year prize during a ceremony in Doha.

Vinícius was instrumental in Real Madrid's 2023-24 Champions League and La Liga triumphs, scoring 24 goals and providing 11 assists.

Earlier in the event, Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmatí won the Women’s Player of the Year award for the second consecutive year.

This marked the first FIFA Best award for Vinícius, offering a brighter conclusion to his season after October’s Ballon d’Or disappointment.

Reflecting on his journey, Vinícius said, "It seemed impossible when I played barefoot in the streets of São Gonçalo, and now I’m here."

The FIFA Best and Ballon d'Or are football’s two most prestigious individual honors. Previous winners of the FIFA Best award include Lionel Messi (2022 and 2023) and Robert Lewandowski (2020 and 2021).

The award, which covers football from August 2023 to August 2024, was decided by a mix of public voting, a journalist from each nation, and votes from national team captains and managers, with each group contributing 25%.

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Real Madrid were already in Qatar preparing for Wednesday's FIFA Intercontinental Cup final against Mexican side Pachuca at Lusail Stadium.

Rodri, Spain's Euro 2024-winning midfielder, finished second in the voting, while Vinícius' teammate, England’s Jude Bellingham, came third.

FIFA also revealed voting details. England captain Harry Kane chose Rodri as his top pick, followed by Bellingham and Vinícius. Interim England manager Lee Carsley voted for Bellingham first, Rodri second, and Barcelona's Lamine Yamal third.

Scotland manager Steve Clarke and Wales boss Craig Bellamy both selected Rodri as their top choice, while Wales captain Aaron Ramsey opted for Vinícius. Northern Ireland skipper Paddy McNair also chose Rodri.

Brazil’s captain and manager backed Vinícius, while Spain’s coach and skipper voted for Real Madrid right-back Dani Carvajal.

Team of the year

Five Premier League stars were included in the Men’s Team of the Year, alongside five players from Real Madrid—including retired midfielder Toni Kroos—and one from Barcelona.

The lineup featured Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa), Rúben Dias (Manchester City), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rüdiger, Jude Bellingham, and Kroos (all Real Madrid), Rodri and Erling Haaland (both Manchester City), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), and Vinícius Jr. (Real Madrid).

Martínez, who helped Argentina win the Copa América, was also named Goalkeeper of the Year.

The 32-year-old has now claimed the best goalkeeper accolade twice at both the Ballon d’Or and FIFA Best awards.

Garnacho stunner wins Puskas Award

Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho claimed the Puskás Award for the best men’s goal of the year, thanks to his stunning bicycle kick in a 3-0 victory against Everton in November 2023.

West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus was also a nominee for his brilliant solo goal in the Europa League against Freiburg.

This year marked a change in the awards format, with the Puskás Award now focusing exclusively on men’s football, while the newly introduced Marta Award recognizes the best goal in the women’s game.

In a pre-recorded message, Argentine Garnacho expressed his gratitude:
"I'm very proud to win this award. It's a proud moment for me and my family. It was a special goal, and I will always remember it."

Ancelotti named coach of the year

Real Madrid's Carlo Ancelotti was named Coach of the Year after guiding the Spanish giants to Champions League and La Liga triumphs last season.

The 65-year-old Italian claimed the award, which has been presented annually since 2016, for the first time in his illustrious career.

In his acceptance speech, Ancelotti said:
"I want to share this with the club, with my president, and with my players—those of the best club in the world."

Ancelotti also received the equivalent honor at the Ballon d'Or, leaving Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso unrecognized despite leading his team to their first-ever German double.

Historically, most winners of the FIFA Best Awards' Coach of the Year title have come from the Premier League, including Claudio Ranieri, Jürgen Klopp (twice), Thomas Tuchel, and last year’s winner, Pep Guardiola.