September 11 – Legendary Italian Gianluigi Buffon is shortlisted for the goalkeeping award in the 2018 FIFPro World XI despite being second choice at Paris Saint-Germain with France’s World Cup winning captain Hugo Lloris surprisingly missing out.
FIFpro’s world team is selected by 25,000 footballers in 65 countries around the world.
The inclusion of Buffon, 40, comes despite his retirement from international football and the fact that he is currently behind Alphonse Areola in the pecking order at Parc des Princes.
Although Llloris misses out, seven members of France’s World Cup-winning team are named in the 55-strong shortlist.
Players were asked to pick one goalkeeper, four defenders, three midfielders and three attackers. The French World Cup winners are Antoine Griezmann, N’Golo Kante, Kylian Mbappe, Benjamin Pavard, Paul Pogba, Samuel Umtiti and Raphael Varane.
Real Madrid’s entire starting XI from their Champions League win against Liverpool in May also made the list, including Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined Juventus in the summer.
The final XI will be revealed during the Best Fifa Football Awards in London on 24 September.
The 55 players are as follows:
Goalkeepers
Gianluigi Buffon – Italy, Juventus/Paris Saint-Germain
Thibaut Courtois – Belgium, Chelsea/Real Madrid CF
David De Gea – Spain, Manchester United FC
Keylor Navas – Costa Rica, Real Madrid CF
Marc-Andre ter Stegen – Germany, FC Barcelona
Defenders
Jordi Alba – Spain, FC Barcelona
Dani Alves – Brazil, Paris Saint-Germain
Daniel Carvajal – Spain, Real Madrid CF
Giorgio Chiellini – Italy, Juventus FC
Virgil van Dijk – The Netherlands, Southampton/Liverpool
Diego Godin – Uruguay, Atletico Madrid
Mats Hummels – Germany, FC Bayern Munchen
Joshua Kimmich – Germany, FC Bayern Munchen
Dejan Lovren – Croatia, Liverpool FC
Marcelo – Brazil, Real Madrid CF
Yerry Mina – Colombia, FC Barcelona/Everton FC
Benjamin Pavard – France, VfB Stuttgart
Gerard Pique – Spain, FC Barcelona
Sergio Ramos – Spain, Real Madrid CF
Thiago Silva – Brazil, Paris Saint-Germain
Kieran Trippier – England, Tottenham Hotspur
Samuel Umtiti – France, FC Barcelona
Raphaël Varane – France, Real Madrid CF
Sime Vrsaljko – Croatia, Atletico Madrid/Internazionale
Kyle Walker – England, Manchester City FC
Midfielders
Sergio Busquets – Spain, FC Barcelona
Casemiro – Brazil, Real Madrid CF
Philippe Coutinho – Brazil, Liverpool/FC Barcelona
Kevin De Bruyne – Belgium, Manchester City FC
Eden Hazard – Belgium, Chelsea FC
Andres Iniesta – Spain, FC Barcelona/Vissel Kobe
Isco – Spain, Real Madrid CF
N’Golo Kante – France, Chelsea FC
Toni Kroos – Germany, Real Madrid CF
Nemanja Matic – Serbia, Manchester United FC
Luka Modric – Croatia, Real Madrid CF
Paul Pogba – France, Manchester United FC
Ivan Rakitic – Croatia, FC Barcelona
David Silva – Spain, Manchester City FC
Arturo Vidal – Chile, FC Bayern Munchen/FC Barcelona
Forwards
Karim Benzema – France, Real Madrid CF
Edinson Cavani – Uruguay, Paris Saint-Germain
Paulo Dybala – Argentina, Juventus FC
Antoine Griezmann – France, Atletico Madrid
Harry Kane – England, Tottenham Hotspur
Robert Lewandowski – Poland, FC Bayern Munchen
Romelu Lukaku – Belgium, Manchester United FC
Mario Mandzukic – Croatia, Juventus FC
Sadio Mane – Senegal, Liverpool FC
Kylian Mbappe – France, Paris Saint-Germain
Lionel Messi – Argentina, FC Barcelona
Neymar Junior – Brazil, Paris Saint-Germain
Cristiano Ronaldo – Portugal, Real Madrid CF/Juventus FC
Mohammed Salah – Egypt, Liverpool FC
Luis Suarez – Uruguay, FC Barcelona
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