FIFPro, the worldwide players’ union, and FIFA today announced the final 55-player shortlist for the FIFA FIFPro World XI 2015.
The FIFA FIFPro World XI is decided by the players, for the players. It involves votes from nearly 25,000 professional footballers from 70 different countries. They select one goalkeeper, four defenders, three midfielders and three forwards.
FIFPro and its national affiliates are responsible for gathering votes from professional footballers worldwide. It is the only global award that truly represents the views of those who play the beautiful game. For more information on the voting procedure click here.
The 55-player shortlist: (home country/club)
Goalkeepers (5): Gianluigi Buffon (Italy/Juventus), Iker Casillas (Spain/FC Porto), David De Gea (Spain/Manchester United), Keylor Navas (Costa Rica/Real Madrid) and Manuel Neuer (Germany/FC Bayern Munich).
Defenders (20): David Alaba (Austria/FC Bayern Munich), Jordi Alba (Spain/FC Barcelona), Jérôme Boateng (Germany/FC Bayern Munich), Daniel Carvajal (Spain/Real Madrid), Giorgio Chiellini (Italy/Juventus), Dani Alves (Brazil/FC Barcelona), David Luiz (Brazil/Paris Saint-Germain), Diego Godín (Uruguay/Atletico Madrid), Mats Hummels (Germany/Borussia Dortmund), Branislav Ivanović (Serbia/Chelsea), Vincent Kompany (Belgium/Manchester City), Philipp Lahm (Germany/FC Bayern Munich), Marcelo (Brazil/Real Madrid), Javier Mascherano (Argentina/FC Barcelona), Pepe (Portugal/Real Madrid), Gerard Piqué (Spain/FC Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Spain/Real Madrid), John Terry (England/Chelsea), Thiago Silva (Brazil/Paris Saint-Germain) and Raphaël Varane (France/Real Madrid).
Midfielders (15): Thiago Alcântara (Spain/FC Bayern Munich), Xabi Alonso (Spain/FC Bayern Munich), Sergio Busquets (Spain/FC Barcelona), Eden Hazard (Belgium/Chelsea), Andrés Iniesta (Spain/FC Barcelona), Toni Kroos (Germany/Real Madrid), Luka Modrić (Croatia/Real Madrid), Andrea Pirlo (Italy/New York City FC), Paul Pogba (France/Juventus), Ivan Rakitić (Croatia/FC Barcelona), James Rodríguez (Colombia/Real Madrid), David Silva (Spain/Manchester City),Yaya Touré (Côte d’Ivoire/Manchester City), Marco Verratti (Italy/Paris Saint-Germain) and Arturo Vidal (Chile/FC Bayern Munich).
Strikers (15): Sergio Agüero (Argentina/Manchester City), Gareth Bale (Wales/Real Madrid), Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid), Douglas Costa (Brazil/FC Bayern Munich), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid), Zlatan Ibrahimović (Sweden/Paris Saint-Germain), Robert Lewandowski (Poland/FC Bayern Munich), Lionel Messi (Argentina/FC Barcelona), Thomas Müller (Germany/FC Bayern Munich), Neymar (Brazil/FC Barcelona), Arjen Robben (Netherlands/FC Bayern Munich), Wayne Rooney (England/Manchester United), Alexis Sánchez (Chile/Arsenal), Luis Suárez (Uruguay/FC Barcelona) and Carlos Tevez (Argentina/Boca Juniors).
The final FIFA FIFPro World XI will be announced at the FIFA Ballon d’Or award ceremony at the Kongresshaus in Zurich on 11 January 2016. During the televised ceremony, the winner of the FIFA Ballon d’Or for best player of 2015 and the winner of the FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year 2015 award will also be revealed, while the FIFA World Coach of the Year awards for men’s and women’s football will be presented for the sixth time.
The FIFA Puskás Award for the best goal of the year will also be presented during the award ceremony.
FIFA will announce the final nominees for the FIFA Ballon d’Or Awards on Monday, 30 November 2015 at 14.00 CET in a show broadcast on FIFA.com, Francefootball.fr, L’Équipe 21 and on the FIFA YouTube channel.