Donnarumma and Spalletti’s FIFA Best Award Votes Revealed: Surprising Choices

The FIFA Best Awards 2024 saw Italy’s representatives, captain Gianluigi Donnarumma and coach Luciano Spalletti, cast their votes for the top performers in world football. Their choices offer an intriguing glimpse into their perspectives on the game’s elite.

Donnarumma’s player picks reflected his PSG connections, with Lionel Messi as his top choice, followed by Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius Jr. For coaches, he favored Carlo Ancelotti, with Xabi Alonso and Pep Guardiola rounding out his top three.

Spalletti’s selections differed notably. He opted for Toni Kroos as best player, followed by Jude Bellingham and Messi. Interestingly, he omitted eventual winner Vinicius Jr. from his top three. Guardiola was Spalletti’s preferred coach, with Ancelotti and Alonso completing his list.

In the goalkeeper category, Donnarumma chose Unai Simon, Andriy Lunin, and Mike Maignan. Spalletti, showing faith in his national team keeper, picked Donnarumma first, followed by Ederson and Maignan.

These votes highlight the diverse opinions within football’s top echelons and showcase the respect Italian football holds for both domestic and international talents.