Premier League players dominate FIFPro World XI nominations
The Premier League has the highest number of players on the FIFA FIFPro men’s XI World 2019 shortlist for the first time in 10 years, the global players union said Thursday.
Twenty-one of the 55 nominees play in the top English category, as the Premier League ended the reign of La Liga at the top.
Seven players from the winning team of the Liverpool Champions League are listed, although Spanish giants Real Madrid (11) and Barcelona (nine) still lead the way in terms of club representation.
Among the 17 players who debuted on the list are the Liverpool quartet of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson, Roberto Firmino and Alisson Becker.
After another impressive season with Tottenham Hotspur, Son Heung-min of South Korea became the first Asian player to appear on the list, while his teammate, Christian Eriksen, is the first Danish footballer to make the cut .
World XI will be revealed at the best FIFA football awards in Milan on September 23.
Goalkeepers (5): Alisson Becker (Brazil, Liverpool FC), David De Gea (Spain, Manchester United), Ederson Moraes (Brazil, Manchester City), Jan Oblak (Slovenia, Atlético de Madrid), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Germany , FC Barcelona)
Defenders (20): Jordi Alba (Spain, FC Barcelona), Trent Alexander-Arnold (England, Liverpool FC), Daniel Alves (Brazil, Paris Saint-Germain / Sao Paulo), Joao Cancelo (Portugal, Juventus / Manchester City), Daniel Carvajal (Spain, Real Madrid), Giorgio Chiellini (Italy, Juventus), Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands, Liverpool FC), Diego Godin (Uruguay, Atlético / Internazionale), Joshua Kimmich (Germany, Bayern Munich), Kalidou Koulibaly ( Senegal, SSC Napoli), Aymeric Laporte (France, Manchester City), Matthijs de Ligt (Netherlands, Ajax / Juventus), Gerard Piqué (Spain, FC Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Spain, Real Madrid), Andrew Robertson (Scotland, Liverpool FC), Alex Sandro (Brazil, Juventus), Thiago Silva (Brazil, Paris Saint-Germain), Raphael Varane (France, Real Madrid), Marcelo Vieira (Brazil, Real Madrid), Kyle Walker (England, Manchester City)
Midfielders (15): Sergio Busquets (Spain, FC Barcelona), Casemiro (Brazil, Real Madrid), Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium, Manchester City), Christian Eriksen (Denmark, Tottenham Hotspur), Frenkie de Jong (Netherlands, Ajax / FC Barcelona), Eden Hazard (Belgium, Chelsea / Real Madrid), N’Golo Kante (France, Chelsea), Toni Kroos (Germany, Real Madrid), Arthur Melo (Brazil, FC Barcelona), Luka Modric (Croatia, Real Madrid ), Paul Pogba (France, Manchester United), Ivan Rakitic (Croatia, FC Barcelona), Bernardo Silva (Portugal, Manchester City), Dusan Tadic (Serbia, Ajax), Arturo Vidal (Chile, FC Barcelona)
Forwards (15): Sergio Agüero (Argentina, Manchester City), Karim Benzema (France, Real Madrid), Roberto Firmino (Brazil, Liverpool FC), Antoine Griezmann (France, Atlético / FC Barcelona), Harry Kane (England, Tottenham Hotspur ), Robert Lewandowski (Poland, Bayern Munich), Sadio Mane (Senegal, Liverpool FC), Kylian Mbappe (France, Paris Saint-Germain), Lionel Messi (Argentina, FC Barcelona), Neymar (Brazil, Paris Saint-Germain), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Juventus), Mohammed Salah (Egypt, Liverpool FC), Son Heung-min (South Korea, Tottenham Hotspur), Raheem Sterling (England, Manchester City), Luis Suarez (Uruguay, FC Barcelona).