FIFA Best Awards: Who Did Harambee Stars Captain Michael Olunga Vote for?

Robert Abong'o

updated at February 13, 2024 at 11:54 AM

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Kenya

M. Olunga

Michael Olunga had some interesting picks for the FIFA Men’s Best Player
The Harambee Stars man was among the captains who voted using the all-inclusive system
Argentina's Lionel Messi beat Haaland and Mbappe to the overall Men's award

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Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga made interesting picks for The Best FIFA Men’s Awards.

The iconic Lionel Messi claimed the event's leading award, clinching his seventh World Player of the Year title in The Best FIFA Men’s Player category.

Messi's head coach Lionel Scaloni was lauded as The Best FIFA Men’s Coach of the Year.

Oluga voted for Messi as his first pick. Photo: Noushad Thekkayil and Christian Liewig - Corbis. — Michael Olunga voted for Lionel Messi as his first pick. Photo: Noushad Thekkayil and Christian Liewig-Corbis.
Source: Getty Images

Olunga participated in the voting process, and his top choices for the Men’s Player award included Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Victor Osimhen, as reported by FIFA.

His selection echoes a global sentiment, with the Inter Miami man leading the tally with 52 points, closely trailed by Mbappe with 44, and Karim Benzema securing the third position with 34.

Victor Osimhen named in Top 100 Most Influential Africans list in 2023

Football

Turning the lens to the coaching domain, Olunga's primary selection was Spaniard Pep Guardiola, renowned for his innovative techniques at Manchester City. Following suit was Xavi, celebrated for his contributions at FC Barcelona and Luciano Spalletti, acknowledged for his role in Napoli's success.

The voting process is an inclusive system that integrates the voices of national team coaches, captains, a select group of journalists, and registered fans on FIFA.com, as reported by Sporting News.

Each member is tasked with nominating three players, coaches, and goalkeepers in descending order of merit, observing specific criteria outlined in the award guidelines.

Nominees receive points on a scale – five for a first-place nomination, three for a second, and one for a third. The cumulative points from all voting groups determine the finalists and winners, ensuring a democratic and globally representative decision-making process.