FIFPro World XI: FIFA named its best 55 players and there was no African player on the list

Riyad Mahrez, Sadio Mane, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and all other African players were not good enough to make the top 55 players in the world according to results from the 2016/2017 FIFPro World XI voting.

Sadio Mane’s goals for Liverpool, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s impact for German Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund or African Player of the Year Riyad Mahrez mesmerizing display for Leicester City did not count when 55 players were nominated for the 2016/2017 FIFPro World XI.

With a slightly different voting scheme this year, around 25, 000 professional footballers were made to select a team of 11 including one goalkeeper, four defenders, three midfielders and three attackers with players with the most votes making the shortlist.

Among the 55 players announced after the voting for the 2016/2017 FIFPro World XI, not a single African footballer was able to make the list.

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The 55-men saw 13 from Spanish La Liga and UEFA Champions League Champions Real Madrid. UEFA Europa player of the Year, Paul Pogba also made the list with David De Gea, Philippe Coutinho, N’Golo Kante, Eden Hazard and Mesut Ozil all joining him from the Premier League.

Paris Saint Germain’s Neymar made the cut alongside Manchester United’s  Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Here’s the full list of 55 players.

Goalkeepers

• Gianluigi Buffon – Italy, Juventus
• David De Gea – Spain, Manchester United
• Keylor Navas – Costa Rica, Real Madrid
• Manuel Neuer – Germany, Bayern Munich
• Jan Oblak – Slovenia, Atletico Madrid

Defenders

• David Alaba – Austria, Bayern Munich
• Jordi Alba – Spain, Barcelona
• Dani Alves – Brazil, Paris Saint-Germain
• Jerome Boateng – Germany, Bayern Munich
• Leonardo Bonucci – Italy, Juventus/AC Milan
• Dani Carvajal – Spain, Real Madrid
• Giorgio Chiellini – Italy, Juventus
• Diego Godin – Uruguay, Atletico Madrid
• Mats Hummels – Germany, Bayern Munich
• Phillipp Lahm – Germany, Bayern Munich/retired
• David Luiz – Brazil, Chelsea
• Marcelo – Brazil, Real Madrid
• Javier Mascherano – Argentina, Barcelona
• Pepe – Portugal, Real Madrid/Besiktas
• Gerard Pique – Spain, Barcelona
• Sergio Ramos – Spain, Real Madrid
• Thiago Silva – Brazil, Paris Saint-Germain
• Samuel Umtiti – France, Barcelona
• Antonio Valencia – Ecuador, Manchester United
• Raphael Varane – France, Real Madrid

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Midfielders

• Thiago Alcantara – Spain, Bayern Munich
• Sergio Busquets – Spain, Barcelona
• Casemiro – Brazil, Real Madrid
• Philippe Coutinho – Brazil, Liverpool
• Eden Hazard – Belgium, Chelsea
• Andres Iniesta – Spain, Barcelona
• Isco – Spain, Real Madrid
• N’Golo Kante – France, Chelsea
• Toni Kroos – Germany, Real Madrid
• Nemanja Matic – Serbia, Chelsea/Manchester United
• Luka Modric – Croatia, Real Madrid
• Mesut Ozil – Germany, Arsenal
• Paul Pogba – France, Manchester United
• Marco Verratti – Italy, Paris Saint-Germain
• Arturo Vidal – Chile, Bayern Munich

Forwards

• Gareth Bale – Wales, Real Madrid
• Karim Benzema – France, Real Madrid
• Edinson Cavani – Uruguay, Paris Saint-Germain
• Paulo Dybala – Argentina, Juventus
• Antoine Griezmann – France, Atletico Madrid
• Zlatan Ibrahimovic – Sweden, Manchester United
• Harry Kane – England, Tottenham Hotspur
• Robert Lewandowski – Poland, Bayern Munich
• Romelu Lukaku – Belgium, Manchester United
• Kylian Mbappe – France, Paris Saint-Germain
• Lionel Messi – Argentina, Barcelona
• Neymar – Brazil, Paris Saint-Germain
• Cristiano Ronaldo – Portugal, Real Madrid
• Alexis Sanchez – Chile, Arsenal
• Luis Suarez – Uruguay, Barcelona

 

But people were just not going to take the fact that no African player was worthy to make the list.

 

SOURCE - PULSE.NG posted by Campus94