England manager Thomas Tuchel delivered a notable snub at The Best FIFA Football Awards, revealing his votes placed two English stars above the eventual winner, France's Ousmane Dembélé.
Tuchel's Contrarian Picks for World's Best
In the recent voting for The Best FIFA Men's Player 2025, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel bucked the global trend. While the prestigious award was claimed by Paris Saint-Germain and France forward Ousmane Dembélé, Tuchel's confidential ballot told a different story. He selected Harry Kane and Cole Palmer as his standout two players in the world.
The voting process involved national team captains, managers, selected media, and fans, all of whom were presented with a shortlist of 11 stars. Kane and Palmer were the only English names on that list. Despite Tuchel's high regard, the official rankings told a different tale: Kane finished eighth overall, while Palmer came in at 11th. Barcelona's Lamine Yamal and PSG's Kylian Mbappé secured second and third place respectively.
Breaking Down the Voting Numbers
A detailed look at the voting data reveals who backed the English duo. Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane received 91 top-three nominations from the combined pool of captains, managers, and journalists. His advocates included his club teammate Joshua Kimmich of Germany, Australia captain Mathew Ryan, and fellow Bayern players Alphonso Davies (Canada) and Malaysia's Matthew Davies.
Chelsea's Cole Palmer, meanwhile, garnered 38 top-three votes. His most notable supporters who placed him first were Cook Islands' Thane Pora Vogel Beal, Ghana's Jordan Ayew, and Trinidad & Tobago's Kevin Molino. Interestingly, Kane himself showed no favouritism towards his international colleague. The England captain's own top three consisted of winner Ousmane Dembélé, PSG's Vitinha, and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah.
Notable Absences and Team of the Year Snubs
The voting was not without its controversies and notable omissions. Portugal's usual captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, was banned from voting after being suspended for his national team's 9-1 victory over Armenia. The captaincy and thus the voting rights for Portugal passed to Bernardo Silva.
In the related FIFA FIFPro Men’s World 11, Premier League representation was sparse. Only three players from England's top flight made the cut: Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk, Chelsea's Cole Palmer, and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. There was no place for high-profile stars like Manchester City's Erling Haaland, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, or Barcelona's Raphinha.
The chosen team featured a strong PSG influence in defence, with Van Dijk the sole non-PSG defender alongside Nuno Mendes, Willian Pacho, and Achraf Hakimi. The midfield saw England's Jude Bellingham paired with Vitinha, flanked by Palmer and Spain's Pedri. The attack was completed by Lamine Yamal and the award's winner, Ousmane Dembélé.
