Trophy-laden year sees Dani Carvajal on brink of debut World 11

• The Real Madrid and Spain defender is one of 26 finalists in the running for the 2024 FIFPRO Men's World 11

• The World 11 is the only global football award decided exclusively by the players 

• The 2024 World 11 will be revealed on Monday 9 December on FIFPRO's digital channels 

In case it was needed, Dani Carvajal gave his last chance to become an undisputed Real Madrid legend in 2024: with his header that opened the scoring for Los Blancos in the Champions League final, the right-back paved his own path to become one of just three Real players who have lifted the most Champions League trophies in history.

Carvajal's trophies are piling up and on 9 December 2024 he could add one more: the FIFPRO Men's World 11.

His presence on the list of 26 finalists was confirmed on Monday 2 December and it will be his fellow professionals who, through their votes, will decide whether he will be part of the team of the year for the period 21 August 2023 to 14 July 2024 inclusive. 

There are seven defenders in total on the shortlist, of which at least three will make the World 11. The other nominees are: Ruben Dias, Virgil van Dijk, Jeremie Frimpong, Antonio Rudiger, William Saliba and Kyle Walker.

Carvajal's 2023/24 season

At 32 years of age, Dani Carvajal has had the best season of his successful career. His collection of great moments does not end with the header in the final against Borussia Dortmund and the subsequent celebration with the ‘Orejona’. Carvajal has also won La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup with Real Madrid – the European Super Cup, also won by Los Merengues, was played outside the period awarded in this edition of the World 11 – and with the Spanish national team he won EURO 2024.

In the 2023/24 Champions League, he played 10 of the 12 matches. In addition to his usual offensive contribution, he was the Real defender with the most tackles made and one of the three with the most balls recovered. His sixth European Cup title places him alongside Paco Gento and Luka Modric as the club's all-time winners in the competition.

In La Liga he completed 7 goals + assists (4+3), the most effective combination of the season in Spain among those who only played as a right-back.

In the Spanish Super Cup he equalised five minutes from time in the semi-final against Atletico Madrid – Real Madrid would go on to win 5-3 in extra time – as well as providing an assist.

On his EURO debut, he scored the only goal of his Spanish career against Croatia in the group stage. He started five of La Roja's seven matches en route to their fourth European crown.

Carvajal's individual achievements 2023/24 

• Champions League final Player of the Match
• Champions League Team of the Year
• La Liga Team of the Season

Carvajal in the World 11

This 2024 edition marks Carvajal's third time as a member of the list of finalists. He has never been voted into the World 11 by his peers. The two previous times Carvajal made the finalists were after winning the Champions League with Real Madrid. His debut was in the 2017 edition, where he came seventh in the defenders' vote; Dani Alves, Leonardo Bonucci, Sergio Ramos and Marcelo were the defenders that eventually made the team of the year's.

In 2018 he was again among the 55 shortlisted players. He came sixth in the final tally, while Alves, Raphael Varane, Ramos and Marcelo were the most voted defenders.

Post of the Year

When will the World 11 be revealed? 

The 2024 FIFPRO Men's World 11 will be officially announced on Monday 9 December at 16:00 CET. It will be made up of the 11 players – out of the 26 on the shortlist of finallists – who receive the most votes in their position.

This year, all winners will be presented with a new trophy that truly captures the collective spirit of the World 11.