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Live Terminal
Sports · Full coverage

FIFA Faces Backlash Over World Cup Best Player Voting System Favoring Popularity

How 2 Israeli newsrooms covered this story — translated into English and compared side by side.

100% center
Center 2

First reported by N12 · Jul 7, 2026

What happened

FIFA's new online voting system for the 2026 World Cup Best Player award has drawn criticism for favoring popularity over performance, leading to controversial winners and player discomfort. The system allows fans to vote frequently, turning the award into a social media popularity contest rather than a merit-based honor.

  • 01FIFA's online voting for World Cup Best Player favors popularity over merit.
  • 02Casemiro won Best Player despite poor performance, highlighting voting flaws.
  • 03Top stars like Ronaldo, Salah, and Messi also won amid controversy.
  • 04Players like Jude Bellingham expressed discomfort with the fan-voted awards.
  • 05Critics say the system undermines football's team spirit and professionalism.
  • 06FIFA prioritizes digital engagement at the expense of objective sporting merit.

Summary translated & synthesized from the sources below by baba. Read each original for the full report.

In this story
People
Cristiano RonaldoJude BellinghamMohamed Salah
OrganizationsFIFA, NBA
PlacesBrazil, Japan, Portugal, Croatia, Egypt, Australia, Argentina, Cape Verde

Full coverage · 2 outlets

The same event, reported separately by each newsroom. Open a few to compare what each emphasizes — and what they leave out.

N12Center · HebrewJul 7, 2026
FIFA Faces Backlash Over World Cup Best Player Voting System Favoring Popularity
MakoCenter · HebrewJul 7, 2026
FIFA Faces Backlash Over World Cup Best Player Voting System Favoring Popularity

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