Manchester United’s David De Gea and Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk are among the contenders in the reckoning to feature in FIFPro and FIFA’s World XI.
FIFPro and its affiliated player associations asked professional footballers to pick a team from the best players in world football last season. It will include one goalkeeper, four defenders, three midfielders and three attackers who were the best at their position in 2017-18.
⏰ BREAKING
2⃣5⃣0⃣0⃣0⃣ professional footballers in 6⃣5⃣ countries have voted
Here are their top 2⃣0⃣ defenders
The 4⃣ most-voted defenders will be in the #World11
Live blog ➡️ https://t.co/NV1eetMqzi#TheBest #FIFAFootballAwards pic.twitter.com/vw2jS62yeu
— FIFPro (@FIFPro) September 10, 2018
Once the 55 players have been selected, the XI will be unveiled by FIFA and FIFPro during the Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony in London on Sept. 24.
De Gea is joined by Paris Saint-Germain’s Gianluigi Buffon, Real Madrid duo Thibaut Courtois and Keylor Navas as well as Barcelona’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen. De Gea and Navas are on the list for the fourth time in a row while Buffon was named the No.1 goalkeeper last year.
Liverpool’s Van Dijk, the most expensive defender of all time at £75 million, helped the Reds to the Champions League final last season. He is joined by Liverpool teammate Dejan Lovren and Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos — who lifted Real’s third successive Champions League trophy, at the expense of Liverpool — as well as Madrid teammate Marcelo.
The 20-strong list of defenders also includes Tottenham’s Kieran Trippier and Manchester City’s Kyle Walker, as well as Barcelona’s Gerard Pique, Samuel Umtiti and Jordi Alba.
This is the 14th edition of the World XI.
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon, Thibaut Courtois, David De Gea, Keylor Navas, Marc-Andre ter Stegen
Defenders: Jordi Alba, Dani Alves, Daniel Carvajal, Giorgio Chiellini, Virgil van Dijk, Diego Godin – Uruguay, Mats Hummels, Joshua Kimmich, Dejan Lovren, Marcelo, Yerry Mina, Benjamin Pavard, Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos, Thiago Silva, Kieran Trippier, Samuel Umtiti, Raphael Varane, Sime Vrsaljko, Kyle Walker
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