The Premier League has 22 representatives on Fifa’s FIFPro Men’s World XI 2019 55-man shortlist.
It isn’t too much of a surprise after English teams filled all four spots in the final of the two European competitions. Liverpool and Tottenham squared off in the Champions League final, while Arsenal and Chelsea clashed in the Europa League showpiece.
The Premier League boasts almost half of the positions on the list, but the big surprise is that Arsenal have failed to earn any nominations.
Manchester City and Liverpool are tied with seven apiece, while Tottenham have three nominees and Manchester United have two.
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The list is decided upon votes from thousands of professional footballers from across the world and the final XI will be confirmed at The Best Fifa Football Awards ceremony, in Milan on September 23.
Despite exiting the Champions League in the last-four, Barcelona lead the way with nine candidates, while Real Madrid – who went out of Europe in the round of 16 and didn’t win a single trophy last season – have eight on the list.
Juventus, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid and Ajax are also hoping to have players in the final squad.
Almost half of the names on the list ply their trade in the Premier League, but it could be argued that there should be an even larger representation…..certainly from a Manchester City point of view.
The Citizens won the domestic treble and reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League, with Pep Guardiola’s side hailed by many as the best in Europe due to their style of play, but the likes of Vincent Kompany, David Silva, Fernandinho and Leroy Sane failed to get enough votes.
Some of Liverpool’s stars will also feel a little hard done by and none more so than captain Jordan Henderson, who lifted the Champions League trophy.
Just two players from the English top flight, N’Golo Kante and David De Gea, made the XI last year but it certainly looks positive from a Premier League persuasion for 2019.
