Cristiano Ronaldo has made the 23-man player shortlist for the FIFPro team of the year, following an amazing year with Al Nassr and Portugal.
The shortlist includes 9 members of the Manchester City side that won the treble - Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League.
Ronaldo was included in the list, having scored 54 goals for club and country, ending as the top scorer for 2023.
Cristiano Ronaldo joined Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr in December 2022, following his acrimonious departure from Manchester United.
Ronaldo was sublime throughout 2023, scoring goals with reckless abandon and delivering staggering performances at the age of 38.
Cristiano Ronaldo making the final 11 isn't certain but rightly so, his impressive display for club and country was recognized in the 23-man list.
Meanwhile, as aforementioned 9 Manchester City players that won the treble - FA Cup, Premier League, and UEFA Champions League made the shortlist, and no prize for guessing, Erling Haaland was amongst the players included.
Haaland netted 52 goals for the Cityzens last term in 53 appearances, helping Pep Guardiola's side achieve a successful season.
The other Manchester City players that made the cut are; Ederson Moraes, Ruben Dias, John Stones, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Rodri, and Kyle Walker.
IIkay Gundogan, who captained Manchester City to those successes, has also been shortlisted.
Anyway, 4 English players also made the cut, including; Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and the Man City duo of Walker and Stones.
Kane banged in goals aplenty for Tottenham Hotspur and subsequently for Bayern Munich after joining the German club in 2023.
Meanwhile, Jude Bellingham was also menacing at Borussia Dortmund before moving to Real Madrid, where he continued his brilliance.
Votes made for the shortlist are expected to note only performances from December 19, 2022, to August 20, 2023.
It is uncertain if that time frame includes the FIFA World Cup won by Lionel Messi, as the 36-year-old led Argentina to glory on December 18, 2023 - a day before votes are expected to be taken into account.
Messi has made the FIFPro Team of the Year 16 different times previously, and he could extend the record further.
Lionel Messi has his name on the shortlist alongside his former team at Paris Saint Germain Kylian Mbappe, who both contested at the FIFA World Cup final, with Mbappe representing France and Messi representing Argentina.
Aston Villa and Argentina goalie Emiliano Martinez made the shortlist alongside two other goalkeepers; Real Madrid's Thibaut Courtois and City's Ederson Moraes.
Virgil Van Dijk of Liverpool is also another player from the Premier League, who made the shortlist.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid players who made the list based off their performances for the Spanish club and their country include; Luca Modric, Vinicius Jr, Federico Valverde, and Antonio Rudiger.
Karim Benzema, who currently plays for Saudi Pro League club Al Ittihad and played for Real Madrid in some parts of 2023 also made the 23-man shortlist.
FIFA FIFPRO MEN'S TEAM OF THE YEAR SHORTLIST
Goalkeepers
Ederson (Manchester City, Brazil)
Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid, Belgium)
Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa, Argentina)
Defenders
Ruben Dias (Manchester City, Portugal)
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool, Netherlands)
Eder Militao (Real Madrid, Brazil)
Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid, Germany)
John Stones (Manchester City, England)
Kyle Walker (Manchester City, England)
Midfielders
Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund/Real Madrid, England)
Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City, Belgium)
Ilkay Gundogan (Manchester City/Barcelona, Germany)
Luka Modric (Real Madrid, Croatia)
Rodri (Manchester City, Spain)
Bernardo Silva (Manchester City, Portugal)
Federico Valverde (Real Madrid, Uruguay)
Forwards
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid/Al-Ittihad, France)
Erling Haaland (Manchester City, Norway)
Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur/Bayern Munich, England)
Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain, France)
Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain/Inter Miami, Argentina)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr, Portugal)
Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid, Brazil)
The shortlist includes 9 members of the Manchester City side that won the treble - Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League.
Ronaldo was included in the list, having scored 54 goals for club and country, ending as the top scorer for 2023.
Cristiano Ronaldo joined Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr in December 2022, following his acrimonious departure from Manchester United.
Ronaldo was sublime throughout 2023, scoring goals with reckless abandon and delivering staggering performances at the age of 38.
Cristiano Ronaldo making the final 11 isn't certain but rightly so, his impressive display for club and country was recognized in the 23-man list.
Meanwhile, as aforementioned 9 Manchester City players that won the treble - FA Cup, Premier League, and UEFA Champions League made the shortlist, and no prize for guessing, Erling Haaland was amongst the players included.
Haaland netted 52 goals for the Cityzens last term in 53 appearances, helping Pep Guardiola's side achieve a successful season.
The other Manchester City players that made the cut are; Ederson Moraes, Ruben Dias, John Stones, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Rodri, and Kyle Walker.
IIkay Gundogan, who captained Manchester City to those successes, has also been shortlisted.
Anyway, 4 English players also made the cut, including; Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and the Man City duo of Walker and Stones.
Kane banged in goals aplenty for Tottenham Hotspur and subsequently for Bayern Munich after joining the German club in 2023.
Meanwhile, Jude Bellingham was also menacing at Borussia Dortmund before moving to Real Madrid, where he continued his brilliance.
Votes made for the shortlist are expected to note only performances from December 19, 2022, to August 20, 2023.
It is uncertain if that time frame includes the FIFA World Cup won by Lionel Messi, as the 36-year-old led Argentina to glory on December 18, 2023 - a day before votes are expected to be taken into account.
Messi has made the FIFPro Team of the Year 16 different times previously, and he could extend the record further.
Lionel Messi has his name on the shortlist alongside his former team at Paris Saint Germain Kylian Mbappe, who both contested at the FIFA World Cup final, with Mbappe representing France and Messi representing Argentina.
Aston Villa and Argentina goalie Emiliano Martinez made the shortlist alongside two other goalkeepers; Real Madrid's Thibaut Courtois and City's Ederson Moraes.
Virgil Van Dijk of Liverpool is also another player from the Premier League, who made the shortlist.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid players who made the list based off their performances for the Spanish club and their country include; Luca Modric, Vinicius Jr, Federico Valverde, and Antonio Rudiger.
Karim Benzema, who currently plays for Saudi Pro League club Al Ittihad and played for Real Madrid in some parts of 2023 also made the 23-man shortlist.
FIFA FIFPRO MEN'S TEAM OF THE YEAR SHORTLIST
Goalkeepers
Ederson (Manchester City, Brazil)
Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid, Belgium)
Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa, Argentina)
Defenders
Ruben Dias (Manchester City, Portugal)
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool, Netherlands)
Eder Militao (Real Madrid, Brazil)
Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid, Germany)
John Stones (Manchester City, England)
Kyle Walker (Manchester City, England)
Midfielders
Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund/Real Madrid, England)
Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City, Belgium)
Ilkay Gundogan (Manchester City/Barcelona, Germany)
Luka Modric (Real Madrid, Croatia)
Rodri (Manchester City, Spain)
Bernardo Silva (Manchester City, Portugal)
Federico Valverde (Real Madrid, Uruguay)
Forwards
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid/Al-Ittihad, France)
Erling Haaland (Manchester City, Norway)
Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur/Bayern Munich, England)
Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain, France)
Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain/Inter Miami, Argentina)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr, Portugal)
Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid, Brazil)