After the conclusion of the FIFA The Best FIFA Football Awards, Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé claimed the 2024-25 FIFA The Best Men's Player award. Unlike this year's Ballon d'Or, which is voted exclusively by journalists, the voters for this award include national team captains (25%), national team coaches (25%), journalists (25%), and fans (25%). Minutes after the awards ceremony held in Qatar, FIFA announced the voting results.
Spain's coach Luis de la Fuente and Unai Simón, who served as captain during the previous training camp, represented Spain in the voting. The coach cast his vote for the Best Player to Pedri first, followed by Lamine Yamal, and Kylian Mbappé in third place; Simón's voting order was the opposite of his teammate's—he first voted for Yamal and Pedri, with Nuno Mendes as his third choice.
Argentina's captain Lionel Messi gave his first vote to Dembélé, followed by Mbappé, and Yamal in third place; his national team coach Lionel Scaloni's voting order was Mbappé, Pedri, and Yamal.
Cristiano Ronaldo was unable to participate in the voting due to a suspension from Portugal's previous national team match. During that game, the Portugal captain's armband was worn by Bernardo Silva, who cast his votes for compatriots Vitinha and Nuno Mendes in sequence, with Dembélé as his third choice. Portugal's national team coach Roberto Martínez reversed the voting order of Nuno Mendes and Vitinha, and gave his third vote to Lamine Yamal.
Carlo Ancelotti, who coached Mbappé last season, ranked the Frenchman in third place, while awarding 5 points to Dembélé and 3 points to Raphinha.
