6 Man Utd players have been shortlisted for the FIFA/FIFPro World XI 2010. The 55-man list includes goalkeeper Van Der Sar, defenders Vidic, Ferdinand and Evra and forwards Berbatov and Rooney.
The Primera Division leads the way with 18 nominations while the Premier League is second with 17. Chelsea and Man Utd both have 6 nominations, Liverpool have 2 and Arsenal, Spurs and Man City have one each.
I think all of our players will find it tough to get into the official World XI. Evra probably has the biggest chance out of all our players as he has been supremely and consistently brilliant at left-back this year. Vidic and Rooney could be in with a shout, but despite the latter’s tremendous season, I think he will miss out. I was shocked to see him absent from the Ballon D’or shortlist (and see the likes of Klose and Gyan in on the basis of a handful of matches) even though he couldn’t win it. But Ronaldo, Messi, Higuain, Tevez (who had a good WC on top of a brilliant 1st season at City), Villa and Milito will be ahead of him, I think.
Here’s the full list:
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Italy, Juventus FC), Iker Casillas (Spain, Real Madrid C.F.), Petr Cech (Czech Republic, Chelsea FC), Julio Cesar (Brazil, F.C. Internazionale), Edwin van der Sar (Netherlands, Manchester United FC)
Defenders: Daniel Alves (Brazil, FC Barcelona), Gareth Bale (Wales, Tottenham Hotspur), Michel Bastos (Brazil, Olympique Lyonnais), Ashley Cole (England, Chelsea FC), Patrice Evra (France, Manchester United FC), Rio Ferdinand (England, Manchester United FC), Philipp Lahm (Germany, FC Bayern Munchen), Lucio (Brazil, F.C. Internazionale), Maicon (Brazil, F.C. Internazionale), Marcelo (Brazil, Real Madrid C.F.), Alessandro Nesta (Italy, AC Milan), Pepe (Portugal, Real Madrid C.F.), Gerard Pique (Spain, FC Barcelona), Carles Puyol (Spain, FC Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Spain, Real Madrid C.F.), Walter Samuel (Argentina, F.C. Internazionale), John Terry (England, Chelsea FC), Thiago Silva (Brazil, AC Milan), Nemanja Vidic (Serbia, Manchester United FC), Javier Zanetti (Argentina, F.C. Internazionale)
Midfielders: Esteban Cambiasso (Argentina, F.C. Internazionale), Michael Essien (Ghana, Chelsea FC), Cesc Fabregas (Spain, Arsenal FC), Steven Gerrard (England, Liverpool FC), Andres Iniesta (Spain, FC Barcelona), Ricardo Kaka (Brazil, Real Madrid C.F.), Frank Lampard (England, Chelsea FC), Javier Mascherano (Argentina, FC Barcelona), Thomas Muller (Germany, FC Bayern Munchen), Mesut Ozil (Germany, Real Madrid C.F.), Andrea Pirlo (Italy, AC Milan), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany, FC Bayern Munchen), Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands, F.C. Internazionale), Xabi Alonso (Spain, Real Madrid C.F.), Xavi (Spain, FC Barcelona)
Forwards: Dimitar Berbatov (Bulgaria, Manchester United FC), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast, Chelsea FC), Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon, F.C. Internazionale), Diego Forlán (Uruguay, Atletico Madrid), Gonzalo Higuain (Argentina, Real Madrid C.F.), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden, AC Milan), Lionel Messi (Argentina, FC Barcelona), Diego Milito (Argentina, F.C. Internazionale), Arjen Robben (Netherlands, FC Bayern München), Ronaldinho (Brazil, AC Milan), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Real Madrid C.F.), Wayne Rooney (England, Manchester United FC), Carlos Tevez (Argentina, Manchester City FC), Fernando Torres (Spain, Liverpool FC), David Villa (Spain, FC Barcelona)
My personal World XI from the list (let me emphasise the word PERSONAL):
Casillas
Ramos, Lucio, Puyol, Evra
Schweinsteiger, Sneijder, Xavi
Ronaldo, Messi, Higuain
What is your world XI?
Kelly Brook? 3D? Does life get better?
You mean we have a keeper, 3 defenders and 2 strikers on the list but no midfielders? Does that tell you something?
… that Darren Fletcher is still criminally underrated?
I am a United fan and love Fletcher but no way he is better than Schweinsteiger, Sneijder, Xavi or even close to.
I would not have Lucio in there though, he has been caught out because of his lack of pace a few times.
Casillas
Alves, Ramos, Puyol, Evra
Schweinsteiger, Sneijder, Xavi
Messi, Etoo, Ronaldo
He isn’t even on the list mate yet players like Pirlo are, Fletcher had a great season and if they can find space for Pirlo, Mascherano etc they I’m sure there is a place for Fletch
my team would be:
Van der Sar
Zanetti, Pique, Lucio, Evra.
Schweinsteiger, Xavi, Sneijder, Iniesta.
Ronaldo
Milito
Not a great fan of Milito, but you cannot argue with his goalscoring of the previous season.
Otherwise I would have had Villa!
Sorry and take out Schweinsteiger and put in Messi…oops”!
I’m sceptical about all of these awards anyway, a lot of shady stuff to be honest. Bale in? As a defender? No Nani? Says it all to be fair…
BALE IS NOT A FOCKIN DEFENDER AND HES IN ON 2 PERFORMANCES AGAINST INTER . WOT A LOAD OF BULL
I just assume United players will be underated and under valued so I don’t pay these lists much attention.
For Rooney not even to be on the first ballot for last year’s ballon d’or just says it all. Hell, Giggs and Scholes have only recently received praise outside of United faithful because they were winning trophies in their mid 30’s which becomes hard to argue against.
What Ronaldo did in 2008 was irrefutable in winning the Ballon D’or, yet it seems the English press and players only recognized his importance once he moved to Real.
Whatever, I’ll more gladly celebrate winning trophies than arbitrarily biased awards.