Jude Bellingham was named the third best player in the world in 2024 after winning the Champions League with Real Madrid and getting to the Euro 2024 final with England
Harry Kane may have risked the ire of his England team-mates after not selecting Jude Bellingham as his first choice in the FIFA Best awards.
Bellingham finished third in the voting on Tuesday evening, trailing second placed Rodri and Real Madrid team-mate Vinicius Jr. The 21-year-old was selected second by Three Lions captain Kane, who opted for Rodri as his top choice and eventual winner Vinicius Jr in third.
The Brazilian winger was a five-point victor after earning most captains’ and fans’ points, though Rodri claimed success from coaches and media. Bellingham was someway behind in each category.
The former Borussia Dortmund star could be disappointed to learn of Kane’s decision, however. Spain’s Alvaro Morata vote for international colleagues Dani Carvajal, Rodri and Lamine Yamal, while Brazil captain Danilo opted for Vinicius Jr.
Joshua Kimmich looked to strike a balance as he opted for Rodri in his primary position before selecting Toni Kroos and Florian Wirtz. Bellingham did earn Lee Carsley’s first vote however, as the ex-interim England boss also selected Rodri and Lamine Yamal as his second and third place options.
Vinicius Jr took the win ahead of Rodri after the Spaniard claimed the Ballon d’Or earlier this year. That saw Real Madrid refrain from showing up for the award and saw their star make a pointed dig after being declared the world’s best on this occasion.
“Today I write to that boy who saw so many idols lift this trophy… his time has come,” he wrote on Instagram. “Or rather, my time has come.
“The time to say… yes, I am the best player in the world and I fought hard for it. They tried and still try to invalidate me, to diminish me. But they are not prepared. No one will tell me who I should fight for, how I should behave.
“When I was in São Gonçalo, the system didn’t care for me. I was almost swallowed. I won for myself, for my family. With a lot of support along the way: Flamengo, Real Madrid, Brazilian National Team, my hundreds of teammates over the years… the people who accompany me daily in my routine, those who admire me…”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Learn more
