Sports
FIFA unveils 23-man list of 2021’s best players
<h4><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">FIFA has unveiled a star-studded World XI shortlist on Tuesday.</span></h4>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">Chelsea, Barcelona, and Paris Saint-Germain are all represented by four players.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-15347 size-full" src="https://thedailypage.ng/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/FIFA-1.jpg" alt="FIFA" width="1200" height="1200" /></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">Despite his outstanding season on the pitch, Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah is not included.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">The squad is chosen by the players, with 10 of the 23 players presently playing in the English Premier League.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">During the Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony in December, the 23-man group will be transformed into the &#8216;World XI.&#8217;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">The goalkeeper, three defenders, three midfielders, and three strikers with the most votes in their position will be chosen for the World XI next month, with the final berth going to the remaining outfield player with the next most votes.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">Chelsea have the most players from the English Premier League on the list, with Edouard Mendy, Jorginho, N&#8217;Golo Kante, and Romelu Lukaku all making the cut.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">Liverpool has two players in Alisson Becker and Trent Alexander-Arnold, while Manchester United has two in Bruno Fernandes and Cristiano Ronaldo.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; color: var(--c-contrast-800);">Manchester City also has two in Ruben Dias and Kevin De Bruyne.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>WORLD XI: FULL 23-MAN SQUAD</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>GOALKEEPERS:</strong></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">Alisson Becker (Brazil/Liverpool FC)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy/AC Milan/Paris Saint-Germain)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">Édouard Mendy (Senegal/Chelsea FC)</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>DEFENDERS:</strong></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">David Alaba (Austria/FC Bayern München/Real Madrid CF)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">Jordi Alba (Spain/FC Barcelona)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">Trent Alexander-Arnold (England/Liverpool FC)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">Dani Alves (Brazil/São Paulo FC/FC Barcelona)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">Leonardo Bonucci (Italy/Juventus FC)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">Rúben Dias (Portugal/Manchester City FC)</span></li>
</ul>
<p> ;</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>MIDFIELDERS:</strong></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">Sergio Busquets (Spain/FC Barcelona)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/Manchester City FC)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">Bruno Fernandes (Portugal/Manchester United FC)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">Frenkie de Jong (Netherlands/FC Barcelona)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">Jorginho (Italy/Chelsea FC)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">N’Golo Kante (France/Chelsea FC)</span></li>
</ul>
<p> ;</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>FORWARDS:</strong></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid CF)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Juventus FC/Manchester United FC)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">Erling Haaland (Norway/ BV Borussia 09 Dortmund)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">Robert Lewandowski (Poland/FC Bayern München)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">Romelu Lukaku (Belgium/FC Internazionale Milano/Chelsea FC)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">Kylian Mbappé (France/Paris Saint-Germain)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">Lionel Messi (Argentina/FC Barcelona/Paris Saint-Germain)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">Neymar (Brazil/Paris Saint-Germain)</span></li>
</ul>