Leo Messi will represent FC Barcelona in the striker category of the FIFA/FIFPro World XI. The three winners will be named during the FIFA Ballon d’Or ceremony on January 7. The FIFA/FIFPro World XI 2012 team is selected by professional footballers from around the world.
Five consecutive years in the all-start team
FC Barcelona’s star player is no stranger to the FIFPro World XI. The Balugrana has been named to the all-star team consecutively since 2007. Only Cristiano Ronaldo and John Terry have been named to the team as many times as the Argentine. Of the 55 footballers nominated to the team, 10 are FC Barcelona players: Jordi Alba, Alves, Mascherano, Piqué and Puyol (defenders); Busquets, Cesc, Iniesta and Xavi (midfielders); and Messi (striker). Barça are the most represented team in the FIFA/FIFPro nominations, followed by Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City.
Here are the 15 strikers that have been nominated to the team:
Manchester City: Sergio Agüero and Mario Balotelli
Manchester United: Robin Van Persie and Wayne Rooney
Real Madrid: Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema
FC Barcelona: Leo Messi
AS Naples: Edinson Cavani
FC Shanghai Shenhua: Didier Drogba
FC Anzhi: Samuel Eto’o
Atlético Madrid: Radamel Falcao
Bayern Munich: Mario Gómez
PSG: Zlatan Ibrahimovic
FC Santos: Neymar
Liverpool FC: Luis Suárez
