Nine Barcelona players on FIFPro shortlist

FIFPro, the worldwide representative organisation for all professional footballers, has today announced the 55 players shortlisted for the FIFPro World XI Player Awards.

Barcelona heads the list for the most nominations with 9: Carles Puyol, Gianluca Zambrotta, Xavi, Deco, Andrés Iniesta, Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto’o, Thierry Henry and Ronaldinho have all been included. Daniel Alves is also on the list.


In August and September this year the 45,000 professional footballers belonging to the 42 professional organisations across the world that form FIFPro received voting forms in a secret ballot to nominate their peers for inclusion in their “World XI” - choosing the four defenders, three midfielders, three forwards and goalkeeper they most admire.

The final World XI and the FIFPro World Player of the year will be announced at 27 October 2008.

The 2007-2008 shortlist:

Goalkeepers
Artur Boruc (Poland/ Celtic), Gianluigi Buffon (Italy/ Juventus), Iker Casillas (Spain/ Real Madrid), Petr Cech (Czech Republic/ Chelsea), Edwin van der Sar (Holland/ Manchester United)

Defenders
Daniel Alves (Brazil/ Sevilla), José Bosingwa (Portugal/ FC Porto), Fabio Cannavaro (Italy/ Real Madrid), Ricardo Carvalho (Portugal/ Chelsea), Gaël Clichy (France, Arsenal), Ashley Cole (England/ Chelsea), Patrice Evra (France/ Manchester United), Rio Ferdinand (England/ Manchester United), Philipp Lahm (Germany/ Bayern Munich), Ferreira Lucio (Brazil/Bayern Munich), Paolo Maldini (Italy/ AC Milan), Alessandro Nesta (Italy/ AC Milan), Képler Laveran Lima Ferreira ‘Pepe’ (Portugal/ Real Madrid), Carles Puyol (Spain/ Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Spain/ Real Madrid), John Terry (England/ Chelsea), Nemanja Vidic (Serbia/ Manchester United), Gianluca Zambrotta (Italy/ Barcelona), Javier Zanetti (Argentina/ Inter), Yuri Zhirkov (Russia/ CSKA Moscow).

Midfielders
Anderson Deco (Portugal/ Barcelona), Michael Ballack (Germany/ Chelsea), Mickaël Essien (Ghana/ Chelsea), Gennaro Gattuso (Italy/ AC Milan), Cesc Fabregas (Spain/ Arsenal), Steven Gerrard (England/ Liverpool), Andrès Iniesta (Spain/ Barcelona), Ricardo Kaká (Brazil/ AC Milan), Frank Lampard (England/ Chelsea), Javier Mascherano (Argentina/ Liverpool), Andrea Pirlo (Italy/ AC Milan), Franck Ribery (France/ Bayern Munich), Marcos Senna (Spain/ Villareal), Wesley Sneijder (Holland/ Real Madrid), Xavi (Spain/ Barcelona).

Forwards
Andrei Arshavin (Russia/ Zenit St Petersburg), Dimitar Berbatov (Bulgaria/ Tottenham Hotspur), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast/ Chelsea), Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon/ Barcelona), Thierry Henry (France/ Barcelona), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden/ Inter), Lionel Messi (Argentina/ Barcelona), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Holland/ Real Madrid), Ronaldinho (Brazil/ Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/ Manchester United), Wayne Rooney (England/ Manchester United), Carlos Tévez (Argentina/ Manchester United), Luca Toni (Italy/ Bayern Munich), Fernando Torres (Spain/ Liverpool), David Villa (Spain/ Valencia).