Harry Kane may have risked the ire of his England team-mates after not selecting Jude Bellingham as his first choice in the FIFA Best awards.
Bellingham finished third in the voting on Tuesday evening, trailing second placed Rodri and Real Madrid team-mate Vinicius Jr. The 21-year-old was selected second by Three Lions captain Kane, who opted for Rodri as his top choice and eventual winner Vinicius Jr in third.
The Brazilian winger was a five-point victor after earning most captains’ and fans’ points, though Rodri claimed success from coaches and media. Bellingham was someway behind in each category.
The former Borussia Dortmund star could be disappointed to learn of Kane’s decision, however. Spain’s Alvaro Morata vote for international colleagues Dani Carvajal, Rodri and Lamine Yamal, while Brazil captain Danilo opted for Vinicius Jr.
Joshua Kimmich looked to strike a balance as he opted for Rodri in his primary position before selecting Toni Kroos and Florian Wirtz. Bellingham did earn Lee Carsley’s first vote however, as the ex-interim England boss also selected Rodri and Lamine Yamal as his second and third place options.
Vinicius Jr took the win ahead of Rodri after the Spaniard claimed the Ballon d’Or earlier this year. That saw Real Madrid refrain from showing up for the award and saw their star make a pointed dig after being declared the world’s best on this occasion.