The much-awaited shortlist for the 2018 FIFA World XI is finally out as Fifpro release the 55 man list that will be competing for the 11 slots that will consist of one goalkeeper, four defenders, three midfielders and three forwards.
Liverpool duo Sadio Mane and Mohammed Salah are the only two Africans who made it into the shortlist. Following a torrid season that saw them finish sixth and miss out on every trophy, Arsenal had no single player nominated for the FIFA World XI. Lukaku who had a good performance in the 2018 FIFA World Cup has been included in the list as World Cup winner Ngolo Kante also makes the cut.
Having won three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles Real Madrid was the most-represented club side, seeing a full 11 players on the list.
Full 55 man shortlist
Goalkeepers (5):
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 (20):
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
Raphael Varane – France, Real Madrid CF
Sime Vrsaljko – Croatia, Atletico Madrid/Inter Milan
Kyle Walker – England, Manchester City FC
Midfielders (15):
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 (15)
Karim Benzema – France, Real Madrid CF
Edinson Cavani – Uruguay, Paris Saint-Germain
Paulo Dybala – Juventus FC, Argentina
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
Mohamed Salah – Egypt, Liverpool FC
Luis Suarez – Uruguay, FC Barcelona