Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe were among six Real Madrid players to be named to the FIFPRO World 11, with Lionel Messi excluded for the first time since 2006.
The global players’ union announced its men’s and women’s teams on Monday, based exclusively on votes from over 28,000 players across 70 countries.
Argentina icon Messi was excluded for the first time in 17 years despite landing the MLS MVP award after helping Inter Miami set a new single-season points record of 74, while his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo was also left out despite making the list of nominees.
Instead, the team was dominated by players from Real Madrid – who won LaLiga and the Champions League last term – and Premier League champions Manchester City.
Bellingham received the most votes from fellow professionals with 11,176, having registered 23 goals and 13 assists in all competitions for Madrid in 2023-24.
The voting period took into account performances between August 20, 2023 and July 14, 2024, the date on which Spain beat England 2-1 in the Euro 2024 final.
Fellow Three Lions star Kane failed to make the team despite amassing more goal involvements (56, 44 goals, 12 assists) than any other player from Europe’s top five leagues last season, with Bellingham’s Madrid team-mates Mbappe and Vinicius flanking City’s Erling Haaland in attack.
Toni Kroos, Antonio Rudiger and Dani Carvajal were also selected, with the latter having become the oldest Madrid player to score in a Champions League final versus Borussia Dortmund in June (aged 32 years, 142 days).
Carvajal did not finish on the losing side in a single match in LaLiga last season, while he also shone for Spain in their record-extending fourth European Championship triumph.
Four City players were named in the team, with Haaland joined by Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne and Ederson. Rodri played 34 Premier League games last season and, like Carvajal in LaLiga, did not experience defeat. City won 27 and drew seven of their matches with the Spaniard in the lineup, losing three of four when he did not feature.
The lone player from outside City or Madrid to make the XI was Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk, with Mohamed Salah missing out despite amassing 38 goal contributions in all competitions for the Reds last term (25 goals, 13 assists).
The women’s team, meanwhile, featured five England players, with Chelsea’s Lucy Bronze equalling Wendie Renard’s record with her seventh inclusion.
Mary Earps, Alex Greenwood, Keira Walsh and Lauren James are also included after a record-breaking 7,000 women’s players cast their votes.
Spain trio Olga Carmona, Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmati were also voted in, the latter receiving the most votes of any women’s player in the year she scooped her second Ballon d’Or.
The frontline, meanwhile, was comprised of Real Madrid and Colombia star Linda Caicedo, as well as Orlando Pride duo Barbra Banda and Marta, the latter making her first appearance in the XI since 2021.
Barcelona’s Caroline Graham Hansen is perhaps the most notable absentee after the Norwegian registered at least 16 more goal involvements in Europe’s top five leagues than any other player last term (21 goals, 19 assists). Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw, the only player to match her 21 strikes across those leagues, also missed the cut.
Source: FotMob
