Eight from Barça nominated for FIFA FIFPro World XI

A total of eight players from FC Barcelona appear in the 55 shortlisted for the FIFA FIFPro World XI, which recognises the best XI of the season as voted for by the players themselves.

The octet that has made the cut are Jordi Alba, Javier Mascherano, Gerard Piqué, Samuel Umtiti, Sergio Busquets, Andrés Iniesta, Leo Messi and Luis Suárez.

Four of those, Piqué, Iniesta, Messi and Suárez, were among the winning XI last time round.

This year’s all-start team will be revealed on October 23 at the Best FIFA Football Awards in London.

Here’s the complete list of candidates:

Goalkeepers: Buffon (Juventus), De Gea (Man United), Navas (Real Madrid), Neuer (Bayern) and Oblak (Atlético)

Defenders: Alaba (Bayern), Alba (Barça), Alves (PSG), Boateng (Bayern), Bonucci (Juventus), Carvajal (Real Madrid), Chiellini (Juventus), Godín (Atlético), Hummels (Bayern), Lahm (Bayern), David Luiz (Chelsea), Marcelo (Real Madrid), Mascherano (Barça), Pepe (Besiktas), Piqué (Barça), Ramos (Real Madrid), Thiago Silva (PSG), Umtiti (Barça), Valencia (Man United) and Varane (Real Madrid)

Midfielders: Thiago (Bayern), Sergio Busquets (Barça), Casemiro (Real Madrid), Coutinho (Liverpool), Hazard (Chelsea), Iniesta (Barça), Isco (Real Madrid), Kanté (Chelsea), Kroos (Real Madrid), Matic (Man United), Modric (Real Madrid), Özil (Arsenal), Pogba (Man United), Verratti (PSG) and Vidal (Bayern)

Forwards: Bale (Real Madrid), Benzema (Real Madrid), Cavani (PSG), Dybala (Juventus), Griezmann (Atlético), Ibrahimovic (Man United), Kane (Tottenham), Lewandowski (Bayern), Lukaku (Man United), Mbappé (PSG), Messi (Barça), Neymar Jr (PSG), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Alexis (Arsenal) and Luis Suárez (Barça)