The football world was left stunned once again by the list of nominees for FIFA’s The Best Award, which excluded one of the year’s most decisive players: Julián Álvarez. The Atlético de Madrid striker, a key figure in Diego Pablo Simeone’s system, failed to make the list of the world’s best players despite his remarkable numbers — a snub that many see as proof of how out of touch the Zurich-based organization’s awards have become.

The Argentine is enjoying his finest spell since arriving in Spain, and his response to the omission was emphatic: he broke a historic Champions League record, becoming the Argentine player with the most goals (17) in his first 30 appearances in Europe’s top competition. Not even Lionel Messi, Sergio Agüero, Hernán Crespo, nor Gabriel Batistuta reached that mark.

A Record That Exposes FIFA’s Decision

Julián Álvarez’s milestone came after his brilliant display against Union Saint-Gilloise, where he added another goal to extend his record. With that tally, he surpassed Messi, who scored 16 goals in his first 30 Champions League matches, and left Agüero behind with 14 in the same span.

In Madrid, both the local press and Atlético fans have labeled his omission a monumental injustice. Even his teammate and fellow Argentine Nico González voiced his frustration on social media, writing: “Clearly, they don’t understand anything,” referring to those responsible for the voting process.

Meanwhile, the list of nominees features players like Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Raphinha, Ousmane Dembélé, Achraf Hakimi, Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, Mohamed Salah, and Cole Palmer — some of whom had inconsistent seasons or failed to win major titles, yet were chosen ahead of a player who has maintained top-level performances all year long.

Julián Álvarez: The Overlooked Goal Scorer

The contrast between Julián Álvarez’s sporting achievements and his exclusion from The Best awards is incomprehensible to many. The forward hasn’t just scored crucial goals in both the Champions League and LaLiga, but has also provided assists and tireless defensive work — hallmarks of Simeone’s footballing philosophy.

Even so, FIFA seems to have overlooked his impact, rewarding popularity over consistency. At Atlético de Madrid, the club stands firmly behind him: “His numbers speak for themselves,” said sources close to the team.

At 24 years old, Álvarez doesn’t need a trophy to prove his worth. His record already places him among the most efficient Argentine forwards of his generation, and his absence from the Zurich gala will go down as one of the great controversies of the 2025 The Best Awards.