LUIS SUAREZ WAS named in the Fifa FifPro reserve World XI for 2014, despite being banned for four months of the year.
The controversial Uruguayan was handed the sanction by Fifa after biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup, but he still wins the respect of his peers in the annual vote.
The Fifa FIFPro World XI is the best team of the year as voted for by professional footballers all over the world. The reserve XI comprises the goalkeeper, four defenders, three midfielders and three forwards who received the next highest amount of votes.
Thibaut Courtois gets the nod in goal after a stellar year on loan at Atletico Madrid before a similarly impressive spell on his return to Chelsea.
He protects a back four consisting of Barcelona’s Dani Alves, Bayern Munich left-back David Alaba, Germany’s World Cup-winning centre-half Mats Hummels and Real Madrid’s Marcelo.
Luka Modric, Yaya Toure and Xabi Alonso of Real Madrid, Manchester City and Bayern Munich respectively make up the midfield three. Suarez, Paris Saint-Germain star Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Barcelona’s Neymar lead the attack. Each voter picks 11 players and after collating the votes from FIFPro members, a shortlist of 55 names is released in late November — consisting of five goalkeepers, 20 defenders, 15 midfielders and 15 forwards.
The returned ballots are counted, and the players with the highest number of votes are chosen for the final XIs which are arranged in a 4-3-3 formation.
Despite the formation, there is no distinction between specific positions within the lines of play. For example, a player may choose four centre-backs in their vote, rather than two central defenders, a right-back and a left-back. This year, 23,383 votes were cast from 60 countries.
Another huge talent off the Dublin/AIG production line. Dublin cleverness and investment in youth structures combined with most other football counties being work-shy, unambitious and lazy has got them into the position they’re in today. People can talk all they want about home advantage, the vast sums of AIG money, the multiple additional sponsorship tie-ups, 23 man backroom teams, having 36% of the population to choose from and all the disproportionate funds directed by the GAA into Dublin coffers – it’s all irrelevant. The envious and bone idle other counties just need to invest in their ‘structures’ like Dublin and success will flow like a river.
@Johnny A: And boy do we love how it makes people like you feel ;)
Can we start referring to Mayo as Mayo/Enda Kenny?
Honestly, give it a rest, do you not get tired saying the same thing every day?
@Johnny A: Yawn, Johnny A Hole! Spinning the same yarns and waffle on every Dublin article and yet can’t produce a single fact or statistic to back up his meanderings. The obsession is a bit ridiculous. He’s all over every Dublin article like I want to be all over Margot Robbie.
@Johnny A: I hope you got it all off your chest now Johnny(Kerry Gold)A
@Johnny A: You know you love the Super Dubs!!!! Now will ye ever go and fix that broken record of yours, or better again go get yourself some mates. UP THE DUBS!!!
COYBIB & KING CON WILL BE A DUBLIN LEGEND COMING FROM THE PROLIFIC DUBLIN GAA YOUTH SYSTEM
Wait until Boyle gets a hold of him #NoMercy
@Fionnan Ryan:
@Fionnan Ryan: With his dodgy achilles sure he only plays half a match now
@Fionnan Ryan: if he gets a hold of him on the ball the ref will hopefully give a free as per the rules and the “apache indian” might play within the rules then