Ademola Lookman and other Nigerian football stars were notably absent as FIFPRO unveiled the final shortlist for the 2024 Men’s World XI on Monday.
Although names like Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong, Paul Onuachu and Lookman, who had an outstanding year in the Serie A, was nominated in 2024 The Best Men Award (each representing their playing position), none of the Nigerian players made the prestigious list, which is based on votes from over 21,000 professional footballers across 70 countries.
The highly anticipated shortlist includes 26 top players from footballing powerhouses like Brazil, Argentina, and England. Voted on exclusively by players themselves, this award honors the standout performers in world football from 21 August 2023 to 14 July 2024.
In the goalkeeping category, Argentina’s Emiliano Martinez, Brazil’s Ederson, and Germany’s Manuel Neuer earned spots, while a strong contingent of defenders like Virgil van Dijk, Ruben Dias, and Kyle Walker highlighted the dominance of Premier League talent.
Midfielders including Jude Bellingham, Kevin De Bruyne, and Luka Modric led the charge, with young stars like Jamal Musiala and Federico Valverde also recognized.
Upfront, global icons Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Kylian Mbappé are joined by rising talents such as Lamine Yamal and Cole Palmer.
FIFPRO explained that to qualify for the World XI, players must have appeared in at least 30 official matches during the evaluation period.
The final World XI will be announced on Monday, 9 December 2024, on FIFPRO’s digital platforms.
Full List of Shortlisted 2024 Men’s World XI Players:
Goalkeepers:
- Ederson (Manchester City, Brazil)
- Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa, Argentina)
- Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich, Germany)
Defenders:
- Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid, Spain)
- Ruben Dias (Manchester City, Portugal)
- Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool, Netherlands)
- Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen, Netherlands)
- Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid, Germany)
- William Saliba (Arsenal, France)
- Kyle Walker (Manchester City, England)
Midfielders:
- Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid, England)
- Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City, Belgium)
- Phil Foden (Manchester City, England)
- Toni Kroos (Real Madrid, Germany)
- Luka Modric (Real Madrid, Croatia)
- Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich, Germany)
- Rodri (Manchester City, Spain)
- Federico Valverde (Real Madrid, Uruguay)
Forwards:
- Erling Haaland (Manchester City, Norway)
- Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England)
- Kylian Mbappé (Paris Saint-Germain/Real Madrid, France)
- Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, Argentina)
- Cole Palmer (Manchester City/Chelsea, England)
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr, Portugal)
- Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid, Brazil)
- Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain)
