Real Madrid defender David Alaba was racially abused on social media after voting for Lionel Messi, and Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic accused FIFA of disrespect on Tuesday in fallout from the soccer body’s annual awards ceremony.
Messi was named the best men’s player on Monday after leading Argentina to last year’s World Cup title in Qatar, with Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema in third place after a standout season helping Madrid to another Champions League title.
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The awards were decided by a poll of national team captains and coaches, selected media and fans voting online from candidate lists decided by FIFA-appointed expert panels.
Alaba’s vote as captain of Austria’s national team — placing Messi first, Madrid teammate Benzema second and Kylian Mbapp , the eventual runner-up, in third — was among the results published by FIFA after the ceremony in Paris.
That choice provoked anger from Madrid fans and others because Alaba, who is Black, voted for Messi, who spent 17 seasons at Barcelona, Real Madrid’s biggest rival. “The Austrian national team vote for this award as a team, not me alone,” Alaba wrote on his social media accounts. “Everyone in the team council is able to vote and that’s how it’s decided.
