Who did Lionel Messi vote for at Ballon d’Or ceremony? Inter Miami star’s Kopa Trophy nod revealed as eventual winner Jude Bellingham snubbed

Lionel Messi's Kopa Trophy vote has been revealed as the Inter Miami star snubbed eventual winner and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham.

Bellingham bagged the Kopa award
Was not good enough for Messi
Chose Jamal Musiala as his first option

WHAT HAPPENED? The Kopa trophy is awarded to the best player under the age of 21 during the Ballon d'Or ceremony. The jury of former Ballon d'Or winners gets to vote for their three players with their first preference getting three points, the second choice two points, while the third is allotted one point.

Messi, who won his eighth Golden Ball trophy in 2023 beating the likes of Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe, voted for Bayern Munich sensation Jamal Musiala as his first choice ahead of Barcelona's Pedri. Whereas, Bellingham was his third pick for the prestigious individual accolade.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Interestingly, Karim Benzema also picked Bellingham in the third spot behind compatriot Camavinga and Pedri. However, the England international was the first choice of most other voters which include Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldinho, Luka Modric, Luis Figo, Ronaldo Nazario and others.

The 20-year-old midfielder has made an impressive start to his career at Real Madrid and scored a brace in a 2-1 Clasico victory over Barcelona, bringing his total goals to 13 in his first 13 games for the club.

However, it's worth noting that his performances last season earned him the Kopa Trophy. During his final season with Borussia Dortmund, Bellingham scored 14 goals in 42 matches while the team secured the second position in the Bundesliga. Additionally, he played a crucial role in helping the England national team reach the quarterfinals of the World Cup in Qatar.

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