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55 players shortlisted for FIFA FIFPro World XI 2010

Thursday 25 November

WorldXI

The world wide players union FIFPro has announced the 55 players shortlisted for the FIFA FIPro World XI 2010, to be revealed at the FIFA Ballon d’Or in Zurich on 10th Januari 2011.

The 50,000 professional footballers belonging to the players’ unions across the world that form FIFPro received voting forms in a secret ballot to nominate their peers for inclusion in their World XI - choosing the four defenders, three midfielders, three forwards and goalkeeper they most admire.

It is striking that, out of the 55 nominees, almost all are playing in Italy, Spain and England. The Spanish Primera Division attracted the most nominees with eighteen, followed by the English Premiership with seventeen and Italy’s Serie A with fifteen. The Bundesliga in Germany generated four nominees, and the French Ligue 1 provided one.

Champions League winner Inter and its former coach José Mourinho’s new club Real Madrid head the list for the most nominations with nine each, Barcelona have eight, Manchester United and Chelsea seven, AC Milan five, Bayern München four, Liverpool two and there is one each from Juventus, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, Atletico Madrid and Olympique Lyon.

World Champion Spain leads the way with the most players in the short list with ten, followed by nine from Brazil, eight from Argentina, six Englishmen, four Germans, three from Holland and Italy, two from Portugal, and Uruguay, Wales, France, Bulgaria, Serbia, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Cameroon each provide one player in the 55.

The 55 player shortlist in full is: (Home country/Club)

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Italy/Juventus), Iker Casillas (Spain/Real Madrid), Petr Cech (Czech Republic/Chelsea), Julio César (Brazil/Inter), Edwin van der Sar (The Netherlands/Manchester United)

Defenders: Daniel Alves (Brazil/Barcelona), Gareth Bale (Wales/Tottenham Hotspur), Michel Bastos (Brazil/Olympique Lyon), Ashley Cole (England/Chelsea), Patrice Evra (France/Manchester United), Rio Ferdinand (England/Manchester United), Philipp Lahm (Germany/Bayern Munchen), Lúcio (Brazil/Inter), Maicon (Brazil/Inter), Marcelo (Brazil/Real Madrid), Alessandro Nesta (Italy/AC Milan), Pepe (Portugal/Real Madrid), Gerard Pique (Spain/Barcelona), Carles Puyol (Spain/Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Spain/Real Madrid), Walter Samuel (Argentina/Inter), John Terry (England/Chelsea), Thiago Silva (Brazil/AC Milan), Nemanja Vidic (Serbia/Manchester United), Javier Zanetti (Argentina/Inter)

Midfielders: Esteban Cambiasso (Argentina/Inter), Michael Essien (Ghana/Chelsea), Cesc Fàbregas (Spain/Arsenal), Steven Gerrard (England/Liverpool), Andrès Iniesta (Spain/Barcelona), Kaká (Brazil/Real Madrid), Frank Lampard (England/Chelsea), Javier Mascherano (Argentina/Barcelona), Thomas Müller (Germany/Bayern München), Mesut Özil (Germany/Real Madrid), Andrea Pirlo (Italy/AC Milan), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany/Bayern München), Wesley Sneijder (The Netherlands/Inter), Xabi Alonso (Spain/Real Madrid), Xavi (Spain/Barcelona).

Forwards: Dimitar Berbatov (Bulgaria/Manchester United), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast/Chelsea), Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon/Inter), Diego Forlán (Uruguay/Atletico Madrid), Gonzalo Higuain (Argentina/Real Madrid), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden/AC Milan), Lionel Messi (Argentina/Barcelona), Diego Milito (Argentina/Inter), Arjen Robben (The Netherlands/Bayern München), Ronaldinho (Brazil/AC Milan), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid), Wayne Rooney (England/Manchester United), Carlos Tévez (Argentina/Manchester City), Fernando Torres (Spain/Liverpool), David Villa (Spain/Barcelona).

Lionel Messi, chosen in the FIFA FIFPro World XI, opened the FIFPro World XI 2010 elections in October: ‘To be chosen by your own colleagues really means a lot to me. They know what you need to reach the top, they understand the game and if they consider you to be among the best eleven, then this gives you the greatest satisfaction.’

The final FIFA FIFPro World XI will be announced at the FIFA Ballon d’Or 10th January 2011 in Zurich.

FIFPro organizes the World XI since 2005. Last year was the first time that the World XI was presented under the name FIFA FIFPro World XI at the FIFA gala of which the upcoming edition will take place on 10 January 2011 in Zurich.

During this same gala the World Player of the Year will be announced, as a result of the new cooperation this year between FIFA and Ballon d’Or. This award is been given by the national team coaches, the national team captains and a Group of international journalists, who each take care of a third of the votes cast. The three nominees for this award will be announced on 6 December next.