Fifa World XI

[Montse]

The year is 2007.

 

Gordon Brown takes hold of a country enjoying joyous prosperity and still riding high after the triumph of World Cup elimination at the quarter finals stage.

Smokers everywhere rejoice as they're forced to enjoy badly lit outdoors areas when they fancy lighting up on nights out.

And a young go-getter by the name of Didier Drogba wins the FA Cup for Chelsea at the rebuilt Wembley Stadium.

 

At least, that's the impression you get from the Official FIFPro Longlist For The Shortlist Of The Team Of The Year 2011 which has been announced today.

Included on the mammoth 55-name scroll of players deemed worthy of special praise by our benevolent leaders in Switzerland are such luminaries as Rio Ferdiand (who has definitely enjoyed an injury-free year of the highest quality), Didier Drogba (who has definitely never looked better, or more interested, in a Chelsea shirt) and Samuel Eto'o (definitely at the peak of his powers at Russia's current seventh best team Anzhi Makhachkala)

There's also room for Kaka, so important to Real Madrid that he has completed 90 minutes a staggering four times in the last year, and Edwin van der Sar, a goalkeeper so relevant to the current state of football that he's, er... retired.

Can't we just all agree that Lionel Messi is very good and let that be the end of it?

 

 

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Italy, Juventus), Iker Casillas (Spain, Real Madrid), Manuel Neuer (Germany, Bayern Munich), Victor Valdes (Spain, Barcelona), Edwin van der Sar (Holland, retired, formerly Manchester United).

 

Defenders: Eric Abidal (France, Barcelona), Dani Alves (Brazil, Barcelona), Ricardo Carvalho (Portugal, Real Madrid), Ashley Cole (England, Chelsea), Patrice Evra (France, Manchester United), Rio Ferdinand (England, Manchester United), Vincent Kompany (Belgium, Manchester City), Philipp Lahm (Germany, Bayern Munich), Lucio (Brazil, Internazionale), David Luiz (Brazil, Chelsea), Maicon (Brazil, Internazionale), Marcelo (Brazil, Real Madrid), Alessandro Nesta (Italy, AC Milan), Pepe (Portugal, Real Madrid), Gerard Pique (Spain, Barcelona), Carles Puyol (Spain, Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Spain, Real Madrid), Thiago Silva (Brazil, AC Milan), John Terry (England, Chelsea), Nemanja Vidic (Serbia, Manchester United).

 

Midfielders: Xabi Alonso (Spain, Real Madrid), Gareth Bale (Wales, Tottenham Hotspur), Sergio Busquets (Spain, Barcelona), Cesc Fabregas (Spain, Barcelona), Andres Iniesta (Spain, Barcelona), Kaka (Brazil, Real Madrid), Frank Lampard (England, Chelsea), Nani (Portugal, Manchester United), Mesut Ozil (Germany, Real Madrid), Andrea Pirlo (Italy, Juventus), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany, Bayern Munich), David Silva (Spain, Manchester City), Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands, Internazionale), Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast, Manchester City), Xavi (Spain, Barcelona).

 

Forwards: Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Real Madrid), Wayne Rooney (England, Manchester Utd), David Villa (Spain, Barcelona), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon, Anzhi), Sergio Aguero (Argentina, Manchester City), Neymar (Brazil, Santos), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast, Chelsea), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden, AC Milan), Luis Suarez (Uruguay, Liverpool), Radamel Falcao (Colombia, Atletico Madrid), Edinson Cavani (Uruguay, Napoli), Karim Benzema (France, Real Madrid), Mario Gomez (Germany, Bayern Munich), Robin van Persie (Holland, Arsenal).

 

ere

 

David Luiz? Are we sure?