No surprise that Cristiano Ronaldo made the FIFPRO World 11 short list. (Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports)
Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar were among the 55 players named to the shortlist for the FIFA FIFPro World11 2017, FIFA and the worldwide players’ union announced Wednesday morning
The FIFA FIFPro World11 is voted on by the players. It involves votes from around 25,000 professional footballers from 75 countries. They each select one goalkeeper, four defenders, three midfielders and three forwards.
No Americans made the short list.
FIFPro and its national affiliates are responsible for gathering votes from professional footballers worldwide.
The 55-player shortlist: (home country/club)
Goalkeepers (5): Gianluigi Buffon (Italy/Juventus), David de Gea (Spain/Manchester United), Keylor Navas (Costa Rica/Real Madrid CF), Manuel Neuer (Germany/FC Bayern München) and Jan Oblak (Slovenia/Atletico Madrid).
Defenders (20): David Alaba (Austria/FC Bayern München), Jordi Alba (Spain/FC Barcelona), Dani Alves (Brazil/Juventus/Paris Saint-Germain), Jerome Boateng (Germany/FC Bayern München), Leonardo Bonucci (Italy/Juventus/AC Milan), Daniel Carvajal (Spain/Real Madrid CF), Giorgio Chiellini (Italy/Juventus), Diego Godin (Uruguay/Atletico Madrid), Mats Hummels (Germany/FC Bayern München), Philipp Lahm (Germany/FC Bayern München), David Luiz (Brazil/Chelsea), Marcelo (Brazil/Real Madrid CF), Javier Mascherano (Argentina/FC Barcelona), Pepe (Portugal/Real Madrid CF/Besiktas), Gerard Pique (Spain/FC Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Spain/Real Madrid CF), Thiago Silva (Brazil/Paris Saint-Germain, Samuel Umtiti (France/FC Barcelona), Antonio Valencia (Ecuador/Manchester United) and Raphael Varane (France/Real Madrid CF).
Midfielders (15): Sergio Busquets (Spain/FC Barcelona), Casemiro (Brazil/Real Madrid CF), Philippe Coutinho (Brazil/Liverpool), Eden Hazard (Belgium/Chelsea), Andres Iniesta (Spain/FC Barcelona), Isco (Spain/Real Madrid CF), N’Golo Kante (France/Chelsea), Toni Kroos (Germany/Real Madrid CF), Nemanja Matic (Serbia/Chelsea/Manchester United), Luka Modric (Croatia/Real Madrid CF), Mesut Oezil (Germany/Arsenal), Paul Pogba (France/Manchester United), Thiago Alcantara (Spain/FC Bayern München), Marco Verratti (Italy/Paris Saint-Germain) and Arturo Vidal (Chile/FC Bayern München).
Strikers (15): Gareth Bale (Wales/Real Madrid CF), Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid CF), Edinson Cavani (Uruguay/Paris Saint-Germain), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid CF), Paulo Dybala (Argentina/Juventus), Antoine Griezmann (France/Atletico Madrid), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden/Manchester United), Harry Kane (England/Tottenham Hotspurs), Robert Lewandowski (Poland/FC Bayern München), Romelu Lukaku (Belgium/Everton/Manchester United), Kylian Mbappe (France/Monaco/Paris Saint-Germain), Lionel Messi (Argentina/FC Barcelona), Neymar (Brazil/FC Barcelona/Paris Saint-Germain), Alexis Sanchez (Chile/Arsenal) and Luis Suarez (Uruguay/FC Barcelona).
The final FIFA FIFPro World11 will be announced at The Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony at the London Palladium Theatre (Argyll Street) Oct. 23.
During the ceremony The Best FIFA Men’s Player, The Best FIFA Women’s Player, The Best FIFA Men’s Coach, The Best FIFA Women’s Coach, The Best FIFA Goalkeeper, The FIFA Puskás Award, The FIFA Fan Award and The FIFA Fair Play Award will also be presented.
To keep up with the latest news about The Best FIFA Football Awards, visit fifa.com/fifafootballawards and www.facebook.com/fifafootballawards
