The FIFPro World XI shortlists have been released.
The shortlists are divided into positional categories and feature some of the world’s best players, most of whom have had great seasons. The final World XI will be anyone’s guess, but here our writers have come up with their own individual teams based on the shortlist:
Muhammad Butt, Chief Writer
GK – Keylor Navas: The season’s standout goalkeeper (Jan Oblak) wasn’t even nominated and so Navas takes this award as he won his third-straight Champions League trophy.
DEF – Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane, Diego GodÃn, Jordi Alba: Alba’s phenomenal season should be rewarded at left-back whilst GodÃn stands alone, leaving a toss-up between Umtiti and Varane (both equally worthy) for who joins him. FIFPro’s rules state the four most-voted defenders will get on here, so living legend Ramos can slip into his old role at right-back.
Key stat: No La Liga player provided more assists when playing as full-back than Jordi Alba did last season (8).
MID – Sergio Busquets, Luka Modric, Kevin De Bruyne: Busquets is still a peerless force of match control and Modric is a no-brainer given how spectacular he was in Real Madrid’s Champions League triumph as well as Croatia’s World Cup run. N’Golo Kanté and Eden Hazard (a midfielder?!) present good cases for the final spot, but it’s impossible to overlook De Bruyne who was the chief mastermind of a record-setting and history-making 100-point Premier League win for Manchester City.
Key stat: Kevin De Bruyne provided more assists than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues last season (16).
FWD – Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Antoine Griezmann: Messi is the world’s best player so he obviously makes it in, and Ronaldo continues to set new records in goalscoring so he can’t be left out either. The final spot is another dead-heat between World Cup winners as Griezmann and Kylian Mbappé face-off; with the Atleti man just making the cut thanks to his Europa League heroics.
James Richards, Staff Writer
GK – Thibaut Courtois: The Belgian goalkeeper was superb at the World Cup and his performance really deserved better, however, his efforts didn’t go unnoticed as Real Madrid swoop for the player this summer.
Key stat: Thibaut Courtois made more saves than any other goalkeeper at the World Cup (27). He saved 80.65% of shots he faced, the second highest among goalkeepers to have played more than once in the tournament.
DEF – Kieran Trippier, Raphael Varane, Virgil van Dijk, Marcelo: Trippier had an outstanding World Cup and took his game up another level while at left-back Marcelo continues to show his class. Liverpool will be able to build a title challenge on the reliability of van Dijk and World Cup winner Varane is the best defender in the world right now.
MID – N’golo Kante, Luka Modric, Kevin De Bruyne: Kante makes every team he plays in winners. From Leicester City, Chelsea and the French national team, all these sides have taken massive strides with the diminutive Frenchman in the side. Modric was a key man in the rise of Croatia at the World Cup and De Bruyne was the key creator for Manchester City’s 100-point title.
Key stat: No player made more interceptions in the Premier League (85) or the World Cup (20) than N’Golo Kante.
FWD – Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane, Cristiano Ronaldo: Mbappe, still only 19, is sheer class and World Cup Golden Boot winner Kane helped England to new heights not scaled in nearly 30 years. Ronaldo is still the best in the world even at 33! Lionel Messi just misses out for me after struggling to impose himself at the World Cup despite still being an amazing talent.
Chris Smith, Staff Writer
GK – David de Gea: Taking his slightly shaky World Cup aside, the fact de Gea almost single-handedly took Manchester United to a second-place finish in the Premier League, while a large part of their squad was sub-par, is astounding.
DEF – Kieran Trippier, Sergio Ramos, Virgil Van Dijk, Marcelo: Trippier is a player I’ve rated very highly for a number of years and to finally see him getting the plaudits after a wonderful World Cup is great to see, while van Dijk was instrumental in Liverpool’s strong end to last season. Marcelo was as dynamic as ever at left-back for Real Madrid and, love him or hate him, Sergio Ramos has had another stellar season, playing a huge role in their Champions League win.
Key stat: Since making his Premier League debut for Liverpool in January, Virgil van Dijk has been involved in more clean sheets (10) than any other player in the league. In the 17 league games he has played with Liverpool, they have conceded 10 goals.
MID – N’Golo Kante, Luka Modric, Kevin De Bruyne: Modric is rightly taking a large number of plaudits at the moment after another fantastic season, while De Bruyne is probably the top creative midfielder in the Premier League right now. Kante was unbelievable in Russia this summer and continues to be a trophy magnet for every team he plays for, even if he is too humble to admit it.
FWD – Lionel Messi, Mohamed Salah, Cristiano Ronaldo: The fact that all three of these struggled to impose themselves on the World Cup is mind-blowing but shouldn’t tarnish what was an incredible campaign for all three. They scored a staggering 133 goals between them, with Ronaldo and Messi destroying La Liga once again, while Salah exploded onto the English scene with a Golden Boot.
Key stat: Cristiano Ronaldo finished last season’s Champions League campaign as top-scorer for the sixth consecutive campaign after scoring 15 goals in the competition.
Sam Long, AskFans Editor
GK – Thibaut Courtois: Courtois was streets ahead of any of his rivals at the World Cup – with David de Gea’s top knot slip up costing him dearly.
DEF – Kieran Trippier, Raphael Varane, Diego GodÃn, Marcelo: Marcelo sneaks in almost by default, courtesy of a distinct lack of options at left-back, while the Bury Beckham deserves a place for giving me the peak moment of my life. Varane has been sensational for both club and country and the old war horse Godin never fails to impress.
Key stat: No player made more clearances (44) at the 2018 World cup than Raphael Varane.
MID – N’Golo Kanté, Kevin De Bruyne, Luka Modric: De Bruyne may have slipped off the radar somewhat due to injury, but the chance to partner him with Modric cannot be missed. The humble Kante simply has to be involved too, even if only for his infectious smile.
FWD РLionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbapp̩: Ronaldo and Messi may have endured early exits in Russia, but they are still operating on another planet when compared to the majority of their peers. Mbappe edges out Mohamed Salah up front due to the manner of his defining displays in Russia. The 19-year-old is one of only three teenagers to play in a World Cup final and is going to have one hell of a career.
Key stat: Mbappe’s four goals at the World Cup were the most by a teenager since Pele scored six in 1958.
Harry Edwards, Staff Writer
GK – David de Gea: Even though the Spaniard has not had the best couple of months for club and country, there is still no better goalkeeper in the world right now than de Gea, who continuously finds ways to defy science with magnificent reflexes and near-impossible saves.
DEF – Joshua Kimmich, Raphael Varane, Diego GodÃn, Marcelo: There were so many good defenders to choose from in the shortlist this year, but even then some stood out more than the others. Marcelo has been the best left-back in the world for quite some time, while Varane’s year has moved him closer to Godin as one of the best centre-backs. Right-back has not been the greatest position this year, but Joshua Kimmich’s presence there for Bayern Munich is vital.
MID – N’Golo Kanté, Luka Modric, Paul Pogba: A midfield borne out of the World Cup final, Kante, Modric and Pogba have had amazing years. Chelsea midfielder Kante manages to get better with each passing year and was pivotal to France’s World Cup win alongside Pogba who was finally given some freedom to reign across the pitch, while Modric’s importance to both Real Madrid and Croatia cannot be understated.
Key stat: Luka Modrić became the first player to win the World Cup Golden Ball and the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award in the same year since Ronaldo in 1998.
FWD – Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Mohamed Salah: There is no more-terrifying attacking trio this year than one consisting of Messi, Ronaldo and Salah. Two of the three found their biggest successes in the Champions League last season, with Ronaldo and Salah both Real Madrid and Liverpool respectively to the final while, despite his The Best snub, Messi is still the greatest football player in the world.
Key stat: No La Liga player scored more goals (34), created more chances (87) or completed more take-ons (185) than Lionel Messi last season.
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