David Alaba is learning the hard way what the Barcelona – Real Madrid rivalry means in world soccer. The Austrian national team captain was bombarded on social media by Real Madrid fans for not putting Karim Benzema first on the voting ballot of FIFA’s The Best award.
The fans were so angry that they even started a hashtag #AlabaOut, calling for the 30-year-old defender to be sold and dropped from the squad. Alaba only joined Real Madrid in 2021 and has featured in 75 matches.
Overall this season in LaLiga, Alaba has played in 29 games and scored 2 goals. After the backlash the former Bayern Munich star had to issue a statement as to why he voted the way he did.
David Alaba explains why he voted for Lionel Messi
In a tweet amid the fury of the Real Madrid fans, David Alaba stated, “Regarding FIFA The Best Award: The Austrian national team vote for this award as a team, not me alone. Everyone in the team council is able to vote and that’s how it’s decided.Everyone knows, especially Karim, how much I admire him and his performances.”
David Alaba of Real Madrid warms up prior to the LaLiga Santander match between Real Madrid CF and Elche CF at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on February 15, 2023 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
Alaba continued in a second tweet, “I have often said that for me (Karim Benzema) is the best striker in the world, and that is still the case. Without doubt.” To which bot or spam accounts began to attack the defender with one dubious account tweeting, “Leave Madrid, simple, you just did the unforgivable”.
