Here are the top five exclusions from the FIFPRO nominees list.
FIFA have released names of 55 nominees for the FIFPRO World XI shortlist.
The performances over the last year will be assessed by the football confederation and the decision will be taken based on that aspect. Some stars including Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have found their name on the sheet once again. They have enjoyed unparalleled success over the last few years, which has increased their fanbase.
There were many undeserving nominees in that list and several objectionable calls have left the fans in commotion. It’s mainly down to the player being qualified for this place after a worthy season individually.
We shall look at the five shocking exclusions from the FIFPRO nominees.
#5 Fabinho (Liverpool):
Fabinho Tavares is the linchpin in Liverpool’s midfield. The Brazilian adds so much steel with his physicality and has a brilliant passing range to back up his extraordinary traits.
Above and beyond to the likes of Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum, and James Milner, Fabinho makes the game tick with his crisp passing and picks out forwards with his delightful deliveries. Besides his passing, the former Monaco midfielder also has a wide range of variety in him with timely tackles, winning aerial duels, and possessing a threat through the set pieces.
He can break down the opponent’s counter-attack and initiate his team’s counter-attack by winning back the ball in the middle of the park. The defensive midfielder did not have the greatest of the games in the Champions League final against Spurs, but he is one of the main reasons for mustering third-most highest points tally in the Premier League, helping the club on a longer run. Unlike the CL final, Liverpool midfielder showcased his brilliance against Chelsea in the Super Cup.
The inclusion of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Arturo Vidal, Casemiro, Paul Pogba, and Ivan Rakitic over Fabinho is a bizarre move by the FIFA.
#4 Kepa Arrizabalaga (Chelsea):
Kepa Arrizabalaga had a huge issue by carrying a hefty transfer sum on his shoulders. The Spaniard became the costliest goalkeeper after the Blues triggered the £82 million release clause in 2018 summer.
The former Atletic Bilbao shot-stopper showed nervousness in early parts of last season, but put some consistent displays with experience. Chelsea’s backline is the worst in the top six, but Kepa is performing relatively better to keep his side in-game at times.
He has lightning reflexes to deny opponents and has good distribution to initiate the attack from the backline. Pivotally, Kepa was the man between the sticks during their penalty shootout victory against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League Semifinals. He also played a huge part in Chelsea’s qualification to the Champions League this season.
David De Gea had a catastrophic season and faced criticism for his lamentable errors. Kepa should be ideally replacing his compatriot in the nominees list.
#3 Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund):
Jadon Sancho was one of the top wingers in Europe last season. The Englishman played an integral part in Borussia Dortmund’s exciting campaign by lighting up the league with 13 goals and 19 assists from 42 appearances in all appearances last season.
Plying through the right-wing, Borussia Dortmund were scoring goals for fun under the management of Lucien Favre. Sancho fit very well in the attacking methodology and was the best winger in the Bundesliga last season.
With nimble feet and lightning quick pace to beat defenders, Jadon Sancho was a nightmare for defenders last season. He also possesses a superior work rate to win back the ball in dangerous situations and contributes well to the final third of the game.
Antoine Griezmann, Harry Kane, Luis Suarez, and Heung Min Son should not have been nominated ahead of the young Jadon Sancho.
#2 Niklas Sule (Bayern Munich):
Bayern Munich were able to keep only 17 clean sheets in last season. Jerome Boateng, Javi Martinez, and Mats Hummels struggled, but their defender Niklas Sule stood out of the lot to stabilize the sinking ship. Niko Kovac was forced to spend a hefty sum on Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez because of this issue.
With a strong presence in the backline, Sule was second to none in aerial duels and wins tackles too. The German also possesses a strong threat through the set pieces and picks out passes from the backline. He played a major role in the Bavarians’ Bundesliga and German Cup titles.
The likes of Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Dani Alves, and Kyle Walker had poor season while compared with Niklas Sule. The German should have been included.
#1 Pierre Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal):
Pierre Emerick Aubameyang is the reigning Premier League’s golden boot winner alongside Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane. The Gabonese International scored 22 goals to finish as the highest scorer in the league.
The striker also beat Harry Kane and Sergio Aguero to the golden boot in the Premier League. The duo was nominated in the FIFPRO, while Aubameyang was not included which is panning out to be hilarious. The former Borussia Dortmund striker also scored a considerable number of goals in the Europa League.
Despite playing around average teammates, it takes a lot of doing to end up in the top of the pile. Aubameyang is severely underrated for all his goalscoring prowess from his first club over the last decade.
As discussed earlier, Griezmann, Kane, and Suarez did not have a year to boast about over Pierre Emerick Aubameyang.
