Fans claim Fifa Best Award is ‘rigged’ as Real Madrid legend Casillas says organisers ‘are not doing things fairly’
REAL MADRID legend Iker Casillas has hit out after former rival Lionel Messi won Fifa’s The Best award.
The Argentine was rewarded for winning the World Cup and the MLS Leagues Cup.
He picked up his eighth Ballon d’Or gong in October and clinched Fifa’s The Best prize despite finishing level on points with Erling Haaland.
The pair each scored 48 points but Messi takes home the award for the third time as he got more captain votes than Manchester City star Haaland.
Casillas, 42, felt that was unfair and slammed the award organisers while coming up for an alternative name for the prize.
He tweeted: “You create some nice prizes and you are taking them away by not doing things fairly. ‘The Smile’ more like. Anyway, goodnight!”
Fans largely agreed with the Spaniard and accused Fifa of “rigging” the award.
One reacted to Messi’s win saying: “Messi rigged another trophy what a surprise.”
Another added: “Haaland robbed.”
A third wrote: “How does a guy who scored a couple useless goal make it ahead of a serial winner who has won with club and country.”
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And another commented: “All rigged for Messi.”
Haaland scored 50 goals in 2023 and helped City to a historic Treble in his first season at the club.
Kylian Mbappe also had a memorable year, finding the net 52 times as Paris Saint-Germain won Ligue Un.