David Alaba has suffered horrific abuse on social media after he decided to vote for Lionel Messi ahead of Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema at the 2022 FIFA Best awards.
A breakdown of every captain who voted in the Best FIFA Men's Player 2022 award has emerged since Messi was recognised as the top men's player in world football on Monday night.
And soon after the award was handed out to the World Cup winner in Paris, FIFA gave us some fascinating reading as to who voted for who, with the likes of Harry Kane, Thiago Silva and David Alaba appearing on the list.
In fact, it was Alaba's vote that brought the most reaction, with the Austria captain opting to choose Lionel Messi ahead of his Los Blancos colleague Karim Benzema.
Alaba handed his five points to Messi before voting for Benzema in second and Kylian Mbappe in third – a decision that saw the hashtag #AlabaOut trending on social media.
The 30-year-old defender went on to receive some disgusting abuse on both his Twitter and Instagram accounts.
Alaba's vote, meanwhile, wouldn't have changed the outcome of the eventual winner, with Messi being the runaway winner with 52 points.
PSG forward Mbappe came in second with 44 points and Benzema, who has scored 18 goals in 25 games this season, was placed third with 32 points.
Alaba was not present for FIFA's seventh 'The Best' awards ceremony in Paris, but Messi was there to collect his second FIFA Men's Player 2022 award after a memorable year that included a World Cup win.
"It's amazing. It's an honour for me to be here tonight and win this award," said the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner.
"Without my team-mates I wouldn't be here. It was an amazing year and I achieved the dream that I've been hoping for so long and finally, I managed to achieve it.
"It [the World Cup] is the most wonderful thing that's happened to me in my career."
David Alaba statement on Best Award:
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. And I have often said that for me he is the best striker in the world, and that is still the case. Without doubt.
abubakarilyasu
1086
Benzema: Anyone Who criticised Messi doesn’t know anything about football! Then Alba Why !!!!
caesarnkata
870
he knows who is the real goat 🐐
Vikdklrtuy
610
alaba must goo we don't work with people who don't believe in us
Champion88
558
Don’t blame him if he knows Messi is the real goat
Madridkingen
541
im disgusted of those ”Real Madrid” fake fans who only support my team when they are winning, once it goes bad they will vanish, these ”fans” are good for nothing and probably they are losers in life
JustinEmmanuel
511
we Madrid fans respect Messi so much coz of what he has done for Spanish football he and Cristiano made us proud we can also brag that we've had the best players in the whole world so why would we criticize Alaba's choice? even I would vote for Messi over benzema, I wish benzema played the final then we would have known wat to do... but Messi carried this Argentina team all through even scored Twice at the final for them and secured them the trophy he deserves it💕💖much love Leo
Kevin201
469
True blood David Alaba. Huge respect for your honest opinion. Ignore other's shitty opinions.
Davysteave
453
They wanted him to vote for Ronaldo
Atom_Bomb
366
This ridiculous from Madrid fans. Where is the respect?
Carama
285
This generation is so confused, hypocrisy is at it's best, men act out of emotions instead of being rational how can you think that if a person is close to you deserve better than others? I've seen strangers who have impacted my life positively than some of my close relatives ever did, I have seen random people building fortunes and relatives cause their downfall, Real men should choose to be fair and embrace the truth despite what others think because it's better to be on the right path alone than to be dragged on the wrong path by bunch of hypocrite fools in the shadow of brotherhood.
fueaortuyz
247
He simply voted the best player with no hard feelings
fitdeioy
216
But who doesn't know that messi is millions time better than Benzema, Alaba voted reality
AKBlanks
159
This shows he understands the game and why he’s reached the very top. He just faced the truth and not like others who vote for sake of team mates
C_7
17
he knows who is the real goat 🐐
Others players know the real Goat as well 👍👍
Saybcdmruy
13
alaba must goo we don't work with people who don't believe in us
Because of what Allow people to express their feelings via voting ok He has done nothing wrong
Saybcdmruy
11
He's a snake u have to goo
Snake how Messi is way better than Benzema period Allow Alaba simple
lionelshivanshmessi
10
but problem is FiFA.. after a rigged world cup with 6 penalties? how how?🤣
cry mote i love it
Atom_Bomb
9
im disgusted of those ”Real Madrid” fake fans who only support my team when they are winning, once it goes bad they will vanish, these ”fans” are good for nothing and probably they are losers in life
I don't think true Madrid fans will do that. Most of them are ronaldo fans. Even those bullying Alaba are mostly ronaldo fans...not Madrid fans.
Nesbril
8
we Madrid fans respect Messi so much coz of what he has done for Spanish football he and Cristiano made us proud we can also brag that we've had the best players in the whole world so why would we criticize Alaba's choice? even I would vote for Messi over benzema, I wish benzema played the final then we would have known wat to do... but Messi carried this Argentina team all through even scored Twice at the final for them and secured them the trophy he deserves it💕💖much love Leo
Exactly bro. If Benzema played the world cup final. he would have been the favorite. But you dont play FIFA's biggest tournament and expect to be voted as Fifa best. So pathetic how some are now reducing the world cup to a "7 game tournament".