FIFA FIFPRO World XI: Mohamed Salah misses out on 23-man shortlist as 10 Premier League players included
Ten Premier League players have made this year’s FIFA FIFPRO World XI 23-man shortlist, but there is no place for Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah.
Liverpool’s Alisson Becker is included along with Trent Alexander-Arnold – the only English player named – but there is no place for team-mate Salah despite his impressive form in 2021.
Chelsea lead the way in terms of Premier League representation with four players in Edouard Mendy, Jorginho, N’Golo Kante and Romelu Lukaku.
Manchester United are represented by Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes, while Manchester City duo Ruben Dias and Kevin De Bruyne make up the Premier League contingent.
Paris Saint-Germain trio Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe are named along with team-mate Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Barcelona also have four players on the shortlist in Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong, Jordi Alba and Dani Alves.
Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski, Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland, Juventus’ Leonardo Bonucci, and Real Madrid pair Karim Benzema and David Alaba complete the 23-man group.
FIFPRO and FIFA ask professional footballers to vote for the World XI by requesting them to pick their best three players during the 2020/2021 season.
For the first time in 17 years, the shortlist has been reduced from 55 to 23 players in an attempt to resemble a real-life squad.
The goalkeeper, three defenders, three midfielders and three forwards who received the most votes in their position will be selected for the World XI next month, with the final spot assigned to the remaining outfield player with the next highest number of votes.
The World XI will be announced during the Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony in Zurich on January 17.
Men’s World XI shortlist
Goalkeepers: Alisson Becker (Liverpool), Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan/Paris Saint-Germain), Edouard Mendy (Chelsea)
Defenders: David Alaba (Bayern Munich/Real Madrid), Jordi Alba (Barcelona), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Dani Alves (Sao Paulo/Barcelona), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Ruben Dias (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona), Jorginho (Chelsea), N’Golo Kante (Chelsea)
Forwards: Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus/Manchester United), Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich), Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan/Chelsea), Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain), Lionel Messi (Barcelona/Paris Saint-Germain), Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain)
Five Chelsea Women stars on World XI shortlist
It’s been a good day for Chelsea after five of the club’s players also made the women’s World XI shortlist.
Ann-Katrin Berger, Millie Bright, Sam Kerr, Pernille Harder and captain Magdalena Eriksson were all included following the side’s first appearance in the Women’s Champions League final.
Bright and Harder are aiming to make the World XI for the second consecutive year, while Manchester City’s Lucy Bronze – the current holder of the Best FIFA Women’s Player award – has also been shortlisted.
Arsenal forward Vivianne Miedema completes the list of nominated players competing in the Women’s Super League this season.
The women’s World XI will also be announced during the Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony next month.JOIN NOW bet365
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