FIFA has come under heavy criticism, being labelled an 'absolute disgrace' for the glaring exclusion of Vinicius Junior from this year's The Best Football Awards nominee list.
The global football governing body, which is responsible for organising the annual awards, unveiled the 12 nominees for the best men's player on September 14.
Among them are the 2022 World Cup winner Lionel Messi, Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe, and Manchester City's treble-winning striker Erling Haaland, as well as Julian Alvarez and Declan Rice, Sky Sports reports.
However, the notable absence of Real Madrid winger, Vinicius Jr. from the list has sparked outrage among football fans, who are decrying this perceived 'injustice'.
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How fans reacted to Vini's FIFA snub
@WolfRMFC called FIFA a disgrace for leaving out Vinicius:
Barcelona fan, @HugoDeKok3 put aside his rivalry to question FIFA about how Vini was overlooked:
Another user, @solomondewise27 added:
"Vinicius not making this list makes me believe that this is also scripted."
Why Vini deserved a shout from FIFA
The Best Football Awards for this year considered players' performances from December 19, 2022, to August 20, 2023.
During this timeframe, Vinicius displayed exceptional form, scoring 16 goals and providing 14 assists while also clinching the Copa del Rey and FIFA Club World Cup with Real Madrid, per Transfermarkt.
Additionally, the 22-year-old played a pivotal role in guiding Los Blancos to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals.
In terms of goal involvement, only three players outshone his 30 contributions: Kylian Mbappe (32), Mohamed Salah (33), and Erling Haaland (41).
FIFA unveils nominees for 2023 The Best Awards
Earlier, Sports Brief reported that FIFA has unveiled the 12 contenders for The Best Awards including Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Erling Haaland - but not Cristiano Ronaldo.
The roster of nominees revealed by the football body includes world-class stars like Julian Alvarez, Marcelo Brozovic, Kevin De Bruyne, Declan Rice, Victor Osimhen, and more.
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