It is the first time after 17 years that Lionel Messi hasn’t made it to the FIFPRO Men’s World XI. Another famed name with 15 previous selections, Cristiano Ronaldo, also missed the 2024 line-up. What a change for football; a new breed of stars is coming up.
2024 FIFPRO Men’s World XI
The 2024 clash of the FIFPRO Men World XI saw over 21,000 votes from professional footballers across 70 countries. Most players came under Real Madrid and Manchester City for this case, with Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk as the sole member outside the two clubs. Ederson of Manchester City makes his debut in the World XI, showing a ghost replacement.
| Position | Player | Club | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Ederson | Manchester City | Brazil |
| Defender | Dani Carvajal | Real Madrid | Spain |
| Defender | Antonio Rüdiger | Real Madrid | Germany |
| Defender | Virgil van Dijk | Liverpool | Netherlands |
| Midfielder | Jude Bellingham | Real Madrid | England |
| Midfielder | Kevin De Bruyne | Manchester City | Belgium |
| Midfielder | Toni Kroos | Real Madrid | Germany |
| Midfielder | Rodri | Manchester City | Spain |
| Forward | Erling Haaland | Manchester City | Norway |
| Forward | Kylian Mbappé | PSG/Real Madrid | France |
| Forward | Vinícius Júnior | Real Madrid | Brazil |
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Midfield included Jude Bellingham, the number-one most-voted player of the year 2024, along with Toni Kroos, Kevin De Bruyne, and Rodri, who won the 2023 Ballon d’Or. The attack features Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé, and Vinícius Júnior as the trio.
End of an Era for Lionel Messi and Ronaldo
His end from this World XI brings an unparalleled streak of 17 years of being featured in the FIFPRO World XI. Perhaps, it was due to this that Lionel Messi moved into Inter Miami, which further enforced this exclusion. Like him, Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, thus missing the World XI for three consecutive years.
The FIFPRO World XI is determined solely by the votes of professional players and is therefore a true measure in peer recognition. With Messi and Ronaldo gone, 2024 will be an important landmark in football history, as all fresh talents, such as Bellingham, Haaland, and Vinicius, come up to headline the story of tomorrow in sports history.