Frustrated German fans hijack Player of the Year poll to mock DFB

Fans appear to mock the German Football Association after a terrible year for the national team.

German football fans have taken matters into their own hands by hijacking the annual Player of the Year poll conducted by the German Football Association (DFB).

The current leader in the race, with a commanding 57.9% of the votes, is Emre Can, a player who has played only two full matches out of eleven in 2023. This unusual surge in support for Can has a peculiar origin: fans are using their votes as a means to mock the DFB and its voting process.

The social media platform X played host to the idea on Friday, with users rallying behind the prank to propel Can to the top spot. The DFB’s official website reveals that Can has amassed over 11,341 votes, leaving Niclas Füllkrug trailing with 16.5% of the votes.

This satirical move comes in stark contrast to previous winners of the award, which include football luminaries such as Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mesut Özil, Toni Kroos, and Manuel Neuer. Last year, Jamal Musiala claimed victory with a resounding 66.2% of the votes. With voting open until the end of January, it remains to be seen whether this fan-driven hijacking will persist or if a more conventional winner will emerge in the end.