Every player Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo voted for in FIFA Best and Ballon d'Or awards since 2010

FIFA's The Best awards takes place on Monday evening, with Vinicius Jr and Rodri both on the shortlist for the Best Men’s Player award after the former was beaten by the Manchester City star for the Ballon d'Or earlier this year.

Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi are also on the 11-man shortlist for the gong, which allows captains of national teams to have their say on all their individual awards as part of the voting.

Coaches, an allocated journalist from country and fans, also get to have a say with a top three in each category.

But players are known to be rather tactical with the votes and that can be seen in the selections from two of the very best players in history.

There is a mutual respect between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who have dominated the individual awards over the years.

Yet despite this, neither have ever picked another as their number one selection in an individual award - whether it be in the FIFA's awards or the coveted Ballon d'Or.

When the Ballon d'Or was merged with FIFA, there were no votes at all between the pair until Messi finally ended the spell - placing Ronaldo in his top three two years in a row in 2018 and 2019.

Ronaldo returned the favour a year later, putting Messi second in his top three for 'The Best' when Robert Lewandowski was the winner.

Last year, Messi beat Erling Haaland to win the FIFA Men's Best Player award, and put the Norwegian as his first pick in a top three which featured Mbappe and his Argentina teammate Julian Alvarez.

Lionel Messi won the last FIFA Best Men's Player. Image: Getty

Although he has been the Portugal captain for a number of years now, he decided against voting in both 2022 and 2023, with his international teammate Pepe assuming duties instead.

Lionel Messi awards voting

Ballon d'Or:

2010: Didn't vote

2011: Xavi, Iniesta, Aguero

2012: Iniesta, Xavi, Aguero

2013: Iniesta, Xavi, Neymar

2014: Di Maria, Iniesta, Mascherano

2015: Suarez, Neymar, Iniesta

FIFA 'The Best':

2016: Suarez, Neymar, Iniesta

2017: Suarez, Iniesta, Neymar

2018: Modric, Mbappe, Ronaldo

2019: Mane, Ronaldo, De Jong

2020: Neymar, Mbappe, Lewandowski

2021: Neymar, Mbappe, Benzema

2022: Neymar, Mbappe, Benzema

2023: Haaland, Mbappe, Alvarez

Cristiano Ronaldo awards voting

Ballon d'Or:

2010: Xavi, Casillas, Sneijder

2011: Did not vote

2012: Did not vote

2013: Falcao, Bale, Ozil

2014: Ramos, Bale, Benzema

2015: Benzema, James Rodriguez, Bale

FIFA's 'The Best':

2016: Bale, Modric, Ramos

2017: Modric, Ramos, Marcelo

2018: Varane, Modric, Griezmann

2019: De Ligt, De Jong, Mbappe

2020: Lewandowski, Messi, Mbappe

2021: Lewandowski, Kante, Jorginho

2022: Did not vote

2023: Did not vote