- FIFA and FIFPRO reveal World 11 at The Best FIFA Football Awards in London, England
- The World 11 is the only global player award decided exclusively by professional footballers
- Which of Manchester City’s treble-winning side were voted into the team of the year by their peers?
Given Manchester City conquered all before them in domestic and continental competitions in 2023, it is no surprise to see them as the most represented club in the FIFA FIFPRO Men’s World 11.
Six City stars were voted into the team of the year by professional footballers from around the globe, who selected the best players based on performances from 19 December 2022 to 20 August 2023 inclusive.
Not since Barcelona in 2010 – then managed by current City boss Pep Guardiola – has a team contributed six players to one single World 11. FIFPRO looks back at how City’s super six made the team of the year.
Ruben Dias
Age: 26
Position: Defender
World 11 appearances: 2
An ever-reliable presence at the back, Ruben Dias was at the heart of Manchester City’s defence during their treble-winning season. Though Dias brings calmness to the backline with his defensive skills, he is equally comfortable on the ball. Indeed, Dias made 902 passes in the 2022/23 Champions League campaign, putting the centre-back second in the overall passing charts.
Dias is often the protagonist of turnovers for City with his ability to intercept the ball and find a progressive pass.
What the manager said
Guardiola on Dias: “Ruben has the ability to see and solve problems for many things. His character is so important. His leadership is huge. For training he arrives two hours before, leaves two hours after. He lives 24 hours for his profession.”
John Stones
Age: 29
Position: Defender
World 11 appearances: 1
John Stones enjoyed a transformative year in 2023, in which he made a vital contribution to City’s treble-winning side. Stones started the year as a ball-playing centre-back and showed his footballing intelligence by enjoying starring roles at full-back and even midfield as the season progressed.
As the 2022/23 campaign reached the business-end, Stones was able to maraud into midfield and during the Champions League final against Inter Milan, the Englishman completed all seven of his dribble attempts – a feat only ever matched by Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ronaldinho.
What the manager said
Guardiola on Stones: “He is an incredible player. Stones has the quality to pass the ball and he can arrive into the attacking positions to control the play.”
Kyle Walker
Age: 33
Position: Defender
World 11 appearances: 1
Though his impact at the beginning of the 2022/23 season was limited due to a groin injury, Kyle Walker went from strength to strength in a campaign that saw City conquer all before them. The attack-minded full-back proved to be a reliable presence in defence, being employed at either centre-back or right-back, and brought plenty of experience to the backline while leading by example.
Walker captained City to their first UEFA Super Cup trophy in August 2023 in which he scored a spot-kick in the penalty shoot-out victory over Sevilla.
What the manager said
Guardiola on Walker: “He has an incredible heart. When players are injured he calls. [He] takes care of staff. This counts a lot, people say how good the players are, the reason why we have success is we have quality humans. This is the reason why.”
Kevin De Bruyne
Age: 32
Position: Midfield
World 11 appearances: 4
Kevin De Bruyne was voted into the World 11 by his fellow professional footballers for a fourth successive time. De Bruyne topped the 2022/23 assists charts in the Premier League (16) and Champions League (7) and reached 100 assists quicker than anyone in Premier League history.
De Bruyne has been widely regarded as one of the world’s best players in recent years and it could be argued 2023 was his finest yet: the Belgian finally got his hands on a European trophy that had eluded his grasp for so long.
What the manager said
Guardiola on De Bruyne: “When he is running at the highest speed possible, he has the ability to see the pass… it’s difficult to find that. Normally, the higher you go, it’s more difficult for the opponent, in certain moments. He has the ability to see it and the reason he’s reached 100 assists quicker than anyone in Premier League history is because he’s quite remarkable.”
Bernardo Silva
Age: 29
Position: Midfield
World 11 appearances: 1
Bernardo Silva demonstrated his ability to rise to the big occasions during his side’s 2022/23 campaign, most notably scoring a brace in his side’s 4-0 rout of Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals.
City relied heavily on Silva’s presence in 2023: the Portuguese winger was second only to Rodri in appearances. While recognised for his skill on the ball and dribbling ability, Silva is also known for his versatility having been deployed in central midfield, on the wing, and even full-back when needed.
What the manager said
Guardiola on Silva: “He can play everywhere because he understands the game perfectly and every action with and without the ball. He’s a player who you say is going to play in that position and you don’t have to say anything else. I’ve been lucky to coach some very good players for Barca and Bayern. He’s one of the best players I ever trained in my life, ever, he’s something special as a football player."
Erling Haaland
Age: 23
Position: Forward
World 11 appearances: 3
Erling Haaland’s cumulative total of 52 goals in all competitions during the 2022/23 campaign represented the biggest haul ever by a Premier League player. It was therefore easy to see why the scoring sensation caught the attention of his fellow professionals, who voted him into the World 11 for a third successive year.
Haaland netted a record 36 goals in his debut Premier League season and showed his clinical edge on the continental stage by topping the 2022/23 Champions League scoring charts with 12 goals.
What the manager said
Guardiola on Haaland: “It is unbelievable how many goals he has scored - so many important goals to help us win games. He is a unique person, as a player but also the person is special. One day maybe he will break his record or someone else will, but they will have to score a lot of goals.”
