LIVERPOOL STARLET, Mohamed Salah has been omitted from FIFA's World XI team. Barcelona had a terrible year, but have four inclusions in the team. In the 2019/20 season Salah netted 22 goals in 37 Premier League games.
FIFA confirmed the 23-man shortlist of the world's best players on Tuesday, with Chelsea having the highest number of players in the team with four.
Neymar, Lukaku, and Ronaldo have all made the final 23 nominees for the 2021 Men's FIFA FIFPRO 11.
Mo Salah failed to make the list. pic.twitter.com/e9wqUUhCDq— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 14, 2021
French club PSG also have four along with Barecelona, but Liverpool's Egyptian king doesn't make the cut, which will be because not only Liverpool fans, but sensible fans.
Chelsea are represented by N'Golo Kante, Romelu Lukaku, Edouard Mendy and Jorginho, while Manchester City, Manchester United, and Liverpool have two players each in the squad.
At the The Best FIFA Football Awards next month, the 23 man shortlist will be turned into the 'World XI'
Barcelona continue their poor form this year as they sit eighth in LaLiga, a woeful 18 points off the pace of Real Madrid. Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong, Jordi Alba and returning hero Dani Alves make the list.
PSG's Kylian Mbappe is joined by Gianluigi Donnarumma and Neymar
FIFA usually goes with a 55-man shortlist, but this is the first time in 17 years that FIFA have opted to name a 23-man squad.
A goalkeeper, three defenders, three midfielders and three forwards who gain the most votes will be selected for the World XI next month, with the final spot assigned to the remaining outfield player with the next highest number of votes.
Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Kevin De Bruyne were included in last year's side. Twelve of the 23-man squad have previously been included in the World XI
Both Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have 14 World XI awards and could win the 15th in next month's event.
Ruben Dias, Jorginho and Chelsea keeper Mendy all debutants are included for the first time.
Thiago Alcantara, Alphonso Davies, Virgil van Dijk, Joshua Kimmich and Sergio Ramos have failed to make the team this year despite featuring last year.
PSG defender Ramos, who has been struggling with injuries since his switch to the French capital, is third on the all-time list with 11 World XI awards, and his omission breaks a run of 10 straight years.
Last year's World 11 consisted of Becker, Alexander-Arnold, Davies, Van Dijk, Ramos, Alcantara, De Bruyne, Kimmich, Lewandowski, Messi and Ronaldo.
This year's shortlist is
Goalkeepers:
Alisson Becker (Brazil/Liverpool FC)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy/AC Milan/Paris Saint-Germain)
Édouard Mendy (Senegal/Chelsea FC)
Defenders:
David Alaba (Austria/FC Bayern München/Real Madrid CF)
Jordi Alba (Spain/FC Barcelona)
Trent Alexander-Arnold (England/Liverpool FC)
Dani Alves (Brazil/São Paulo FC/FC Barcelona)
Leonardo Bonucci (Italy/Juventus FC)
Rúben Dias (Portugal/Manchester City FC)
Midfielders:
Sergio Busquets (Spain/FC Barcelona)
Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/Manchester City FC)
Bruno Fernandes (Portugal/Manchester United FC)
Frenkie de Jong (Netherlands/FC Barcelona)
Jorginho (Italy/Chelsea FC)
N’Golo Kante (France/Chelsea FC)
Forwards:
Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid CF)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Juventus FC/Manchester United FC)
Erling Haaland (Norway/ BV Borussia 09 Dortmund)
Robert Lewandowski (Poland/FC Bayern München)
Romelu Lukaku (Belgium/FC Internazionale Milano/Chelsea FC)
Kylian Mbappé (France/Paris Saint-Germain)
Lionel Messi (Argentina/FC Barcelona/Paris Saint-Germain)
Neymar (Brazil/Paris Saint-Germain)
