Super Eagles duo William Troost-Ekong and Ademola Lookman, who were initially nominated for the prestigious 2024 FIFPRO World XI, have not made the final shortlist.
The FIFPRO World XI is regarded as one of the most esteemed accolades in football, aiming to assemble the best starting XI from the most exceptional players worldwide over the past year.
Unlike the Ballon d’Or, which is determined by a panel of 100 journalists, the FIFPRO World XI is exclusively decided by votes from professional footballers.
FIFPRO, the global players’ union, pools opinions from over 28,000 professionals spanning 70 countries. Each player votes for three top goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, and forwards from an initial list of 250 candidates.
The final lineup comprises the goalkeeper, three defenders, three midfielders, and three forwards with the highest votes, along with an additional outfield player with the next highest tally to complete the iconic team.
As expected, most of the game’s prominent stars secured their places. Even Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, despite being omitted from this year’s Ballon d’Or shortlist, found spots in the forward nominations.
Meanwhile, tension lingers between Manchester City’s Rodri and Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior, following Rodri’s triumph over the Brazilian at the Ballon d’Or ceremony. However, both players are anticipated to feature in the FIFPRO World XI.
The final team will be revealed on Monday, December 9, showcasing the players voted as the best in the world by their peers.
FIFPRO Men’s World 11 shortlist 2024
GOALKEEPERS
Ederson (Manchester City, Brazil)
Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa, Argentina)
Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich, Germany)
DEFENDERS
Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid, Spain)
Ruben Dias (Manchester City, Portugal)
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool, Netherlands)
Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen, Netherlands)
Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid, Germany)
William Saliba (Arsenal, France)
Kyle Walker (Manchester City, England)
MIDFIELDERS
Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid, England)
Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City, Belgium)
Phil Foden (Manchester City, England)
Toni Kroos (Real Madrid, Germany)
Luka Modric (Real Madrid, Croatia)
Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich, Germany)
Rodri (Manchester City, Spain)
Federico Valverde (Real Madrid, Uruguay)
FORWARDS
Erling Haaland (Manchester City, Norway)
Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England)
Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid, France)
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, Argentina)
Cole Palmer (Chelsea, England)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr, Portugal)
Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid, Brazil)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain)
