Four days ago FIFA made public the final contestants for the annual award organized by the world football governing body.
In the men’s category 12 players were shortlisted for the category of the best player and it includes Nigeria international Victor Osimhen, who powered Napoli to their first league title in 33 years last season.
To determine the winners of the FIFA Best awards, the voting is split off into four categories namely fans, national team coaches, national team captains and 300 media members from the various FIFA member nations. They are all given 25 percent of the total vote to then determine who wins the awards in each country.
The portal for this year’s award has been opened for fans and it has already started generating controversies from pundits. Criticism has trailed the fans voting segment saying it gives undue advantage to players from countries with huge population.
” Fans voting has always been borne out of emotions and numbers. Osimhen for instance is from Nigeria, how do you beat them in an online contest”, a Norwegian journalist Martin Johan posted on Instagram.
” The voting by fans is for players with high social media followers. Look at Osimhen for instance. He has the entire African continent behind him from the fans votes then the national team captains and some African coaches . That’s an unfair advantage if you ask me”, French journalist Lauren Gills also commented.
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September 18, 2023