Revealed: Messi’s votes for FIFA The Best 2025 between Dembele, Mbappe, and Yamal

The FIFA The Best 2025 ceremony delivered clarity at the top of the men’s game, but it also opened a window into how the sport’s most influential voices evaluated an extraordinary year. Among them, Lionel Messi’s ballot carried particular weight, offering insight into how the Argentine icon evaluated standout seasons from Ousmane Dembele, Kylian Mbappe, and emerging star Lamine Yamal.

With voting details now confirmed, Messi’s choices reflected a balance between proven excellence and evolving brilliance. His selections placed current form, impact, and consistency at the center of the conversation—factors that often define the award’s outcome.

As debates ripple across the soccer world, Messi’s votes, outlined in FIFA’s official voting breakdown, add important context to the final podium and sharpen comparisons among three of the most discussed names of the season.

How did Lionel Messi rank Dembele, Mbappe, and Yamal?

Serving as Argentina’s captain, Messi cast his vote with Ousmane Dembele in first place, followed by Mbappe second and Yamal third. The order mirrors a year in which Dembele’s influence and production consistently stood out across competitions.

Messi’s ranking also underscores a clear hierarchy, with five points awarded to Dembele, three to Mbappe, and one to Yamal—rewarding sustained elite performance while still acknowledging Mbappe’s continued impact and Yamal’s rapid ascent at the highest level.

see also

Ousmane Dembele wins FIFA The Best 2025: How many do Messi and Ronaldo boast?

Why Messi’s vote resonates beyond the result

Messi’s vote resonates beyond the result because the perspective of a historic, world‑class player carries enormous weight. Even if one ballot doesn’t decide the winner, his choices reflect how the very best in the game judge performance, consistency, and impact, adding depth to the debates about excellence and rising talent.