Premier League Dominates FIFA The Best XI 2024 as Vini Jr and Rodri Lead
The Premier League dominates the latest edition of the FIFA Team of the Year, with a whopping five stars from the English top flight included.
A fan vote was combined with the selections of a panel of experts to decide on football’s finest 11 via a points system.
The first nine players in the side were made up of the goalkeeper, three defenders, three midfielders and two forwards with the greatest number of points.
The dream team was completed by adding in the two remaining outfield players with the most points, which ended up creating a starting 11 with a 4-3-3 formation.
At FIFA’s 2023 awards, held in January this year, a lineup with a distinct flavour of Manchester City was unveiled, featuring six players from the club and none from any other Premier League team.
The league’s dominance remained this time around but the team announced in Doha, Qatar on Tuesday, included representatives from a wider range of clubs from the division.
Despite their recent downturn in fortunes, with the side winning just one in the last 11, three City players receive the nod in the lineup thanks to yet another Premier League title in May.
Ruben Dias is recognised for his composure in defense, while Ballon d’Or winner Rodri makes an appearance in the midfield after another fine year which was cruelly curtailed by a knee ligament injury.
Erling Haaland is chosen as the side’s centre-forward after scoring a hatful of goals for the side once again, although his form has recently petered out in parallel to his team-mates.
English defenders Kyle Walker and John Stones have been snubbed this time around while Kevin de Bruyne has also been left out.
Arsenal star William Saliba makes the cut for the 2024 Team of the Year after impressing with his defensive displays as the Gunners just missed out on the title.
Emiliano Martinez makes up the Premier League representation thanks to his inspirational goalkeeping performances which dragged Aston Villa into the Champions League and Argentina to Copa America glory.
The remaining players are all from La Liga with Real Madrid particularly well-represented following a league and Champions League double.
Dani Carvajal, who won Euro 2024 with Spanish team-mate Rodri in the summer, slots in at right-back while Real colleague Antonio Rudiger gets the nod at centre-back.
He is joined in the middle of the park by the only English player, Jude Bellingham, who was named La Liga Player of the Year in his first season at Real.
The front three features two Spanish league forwards on either side of Haaland. Vinicius Junior, crowned FIFA’s Player of the Year after his Ballon d’Or rejection, is on the left while 17-year-old Lamine Yamal turns out on the right.
The lineup is noticeable for the absence of Real superstar Kylian Mbappe after his much-hyped move from Paris Saint-Germain to the Bernabeu led to an underwhelming first half of the season.
Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk is unlucky to miss out at centre-back after his side’s fine start to the campaign, while Chelsea’s Cole Palmer will have to wait another season for his nod in the lineup.
