Chipolopolo coach Wedson Nyirenda voted Lionel Messi, Neymar and Gareth Bale for FIFA world best player at the inaugural The Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony.
According to documents obtain by Zambianfootball.co.zm, Nyirenda did not vote for the eventual winner of the world best player award Christiano Ronaldo.
Chipolopolo captain Rainford Kalaba gave his first vote to Ronaldo, then Messi and he gave Neymar his third vote.
In the media category, the Zambian vote was carried by Elias Chipepo who voted for Christiano Ronaldo (5), Lionel Messi (3) and Luis Suarez (1).
Former Chipolopolo coach Herve Renard voted for Neymar and then went for fellow Frenchman Ngolo Kante while his third vote went to Christian Ronaldo.
Ironically, the two biggest rivals Ronaldo and Messi did not vote for each other.
The Real star voted for three of his teammates to win the award however, while second-placed Messi picked a trio of Barcelona stars.
Ronaldo received 34.54% of the total votes, with captains, managers and journalists naming their top three players of 2016.
Messi came second with 26.42%, while Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann polled 7.53% of the votes.
Click below to see full list of votes
Below are some selected individual votes as compile by football365.
Captains
Lionel Messi (Argentina): 1. Suarez 2. Neymar 3. Iniesta
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal): Bale, Modric, Ramos
Wayne Rooney (England): Ronaldo, Suarez, Vardy. Rooney also voted for Jurgen Klopp third in the voting for best manager. Oh no. Pitchforks, people.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Armenia): Ronaldo, Messi, Griezmann
Dani Alves (Brazil): Messi, Neymar, Suarez
Luka Modric (Croatia): Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar
Manuel Neuer (Germany): Kroos, Ozil, Lewandowski
Gianluigi Buffon (Italy): Messi, Bale, Ronaldo
Arjen Robben (Netherlands): Ronaldo, Kroos, Lewandowski
Andreas Granqvist (Sweden): Ibrahimovic, Ronaldo, Bale
Steven Davis (Northern Ireland): Messi, Ronaldo, Griezmann
Seamus Coleman (Republic of Ireland): Ronaldo, Messi, Suarez
Darren Fletcher (Scotland): Ronaldo, Suarez, Messi
Branislav Ivanovic (Serbia): Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar
Sergio Ramos (Spain): Ronaldo, Messi, Iniesta
Billy Forbes (Turks and Caicos): Vardy, Ronaldo, Messi
Ashley Williams (Wales): Bale, Messi, Lewandowski
Managers
Gareth Southgate (England): Ronaldo, Griezmann, Kante
Chris Coleman (Wales): Bale, Sanchez, Vardy
Michael O’Neill (Northern Ireland): Ronaldo, Messi, Griezmann
Martin O’Neill (Republic of Ireland): Bale, Buffon, Kante
Gordon Strachan (Scotland): Messi, Suarez, Aguero
Juan Antonio Pizze (Chile): Sanchez. He did not pick anyone in second or third.
Ronaldo deserves it.
1) 2016 Champions league win with Real Madrid
2) Euro 2016 win with Portugal
3) World club championship with Real Madrid
4) 2016 Ballon D’Or
What more can one ask for. Congratulations Mr Christiano Ronaldo