FIFPro
(Fédération Internationale des Associations de Footballers
Professionnels), the worldwide representative organisation for all
professional footballers, today announced the 55 players
shortlisted for the 4th FIFPro World XI Player
Awards.
In August
and September this year the 45,000 professional
footballers belonging to the 42 professional organisations
across the world that form FIFPro received voting forms in a secret
ballot to nominate their peers for inclusion in their “World XI” -
choosing the four defenders, three midfielders, three forwards and
goalkeeper they most admire.
It is striking that, out of the 55 nominees, the majority were
playing in England and Spain last season. The English Premiership
attracted the most nominees with 21, followed by the Spanish
Primera Division with 18. Italy’s Serie A attracted 8
nominees, the Bundesliga in Germany 4, the Premier League in
Russia 2, and the Premier League in Scotland and Portugal
provided 1 each.
Barcelona heads the list for the most nominations with
9. Chelsea follows with 8, Manchester United have 7,
Real Madrid 6, AC Milan 5, Bayern Munich 4, Arsenal 3,
Liverpool and Inter 2 and there is 1 each from Juventus,
Internazionale, Sevilla, Valencia, Villareal, Tottenham
Hotspur, Olympique Lyon, Celtic, FC Porto, CSKA Moscow and Zenit St
Petersburg.
European Champions Spain leads the way with the most players in the
short list with 9, followed by 8 from Italy, 6 from
England, 5 from Portugal, 4 from Brazil, Argentina and
France, 3 from Holland, 2 from Germany and Russia, and
Poland, Serbia, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Ghana, Ivory Coast,
Bulgaria, Togo and Cameroon each provide 1 player in the
55.
The 55
player shortlist in full is: (Home country/ Club
2007/2008)
Goalkeepers: Artur Boruc (Poland/ Celtic),
Gianluigi Buffon (Italy/ Juventus), Iker Casillas (Spain/ Real
Madrid), Petr Cech (Czech Republic/ Chelsea), Edwin van der Sar
(Holland/ Manchester United)
Defenders: Daniel Alves (Brazil/ Sevilla), José
Bosingwa (Portugal/ FC Porto), Fabio Cannavaro (Italy/ Real
Madrid), Ricardo Carvalho (Portugal/ Chelsea), Gaël Clichy (France,
Arsenal), Ashley Cole (England/ Chelsea), Patrice Evra (France/
Manchester United), Rio Ferdinand (England/ Manchester United),
Philipp Lahm (Germany/ Bayern Munich), Ferreira Lucio
(Brazil/Bayern Munich), Paolo Maldini (Italy/ AC Milan), Alessandro
Nesta (Italy/ AC Milan), Képler Laveran Lima Ferreira ‘Pepe’
(Portugal/ Real Madrid), Carles Puyol (Spain/ Barcelona), Sergio
Ramos (Spain/ Real Madrid), John Terry (England/ Chelsea), Nemanja
Vidic (Serbia/ Manchester United), Gianluca Zambrotta (Italy/
Barcelona), Javier Zanetti (Argentina/ Inter), Yuri Zhirkov
(Russia/ CSKA Moscow).
Midfielders: Anderson Deco (Portugal/ Barcelona),
Michael Ballack (Germany/ Chelsea), Mickaël Essien (Ghana/
Chelsea), Gennaro Gattuso (Italy/ AC Milan), Cesc Fabregas (Spain/
Arsenal), Steven Gerrard (England/ Liverpool), Andrès Iniesta
(Spain/ Barcelona), Ricardo Kaká (Brazil/ AC Milan), Frank Lampard
(England/ Chelsea), Javier Mascherano (Argentina/ Liverpool),
Andrea Pirlo (Italy/ AC Milan), Franck Ribery (France/ Bayern
Munich), Marcos Senna (Spain/ Villareal), Wesley Sneijder (Holland/
Real Madrid), Xavi (Spain/ Barcelona).
Forwards: Andrei Arshavin (Russia/ Zenit St
Petersburg), Dimitar Berbatov (Bulgaria/ Tottenham Hotspur), Didier
Drogba (Ivory Coast/ Chelsea), Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon/ Barcelona),
Thierry Henry (France/ Barcelona), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden/
Inter), Lionel Messi (Argentina/ Barcelona), Ruud van Nistelrooy
(Holland/ Real Madrid), Ronaldinho (Brazil/ Barcelona), Cristiano
Ronaldo (Portugal/ Manchester United), Wayne Rooney (England/
Manchester United), Carlos Tévez (Argentina/ Manchester United),
Luca Toni (Italy/ Bayern Munich), Fernando Torres (Spain/
Liverpool), David Villa (Spain/ Valencia).
The final World XI and the FIFPro World Player of the year will be
announced at 27 October 2008.