Lionel Messi was crowned World Footballer of the Year and rightly so by FIFA, who named him in their 11-man squad of the year, the 35-year-old Argentine star winning the honor for the 16th consecutive year, making him the most frequent winner of the award in the history of the game.
This year's Best 11 lineup consists mainly of players from the big three, Real Madrid, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), with Taylor Hart sitting in goal. In the backline are Ashraf, Virgil van Dijk, and Zouo Fernandez, while in midfield are Modric, Kevin De Bruyne, and Casemiro. As for the forwards, it's a star-studded lineup, with names such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Benzema, and Aiden Hyland all on the roster.
This time, the best XI adopted the "334" formation, choosing four strikers, a choice that has been criticized by some as being too idealistic. However, it is hard to choose between the four scorers who performed so brilliantly in the previous season.
FIFA's best 11-man squad of the year
Goalkeeper: Taylor Hart (Real Madrid)
Defenders: Ashraf (PSG), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Zoil Fernandez (Manchester City/Bayern Munich)
Midfielders: Modric (Real Madrid), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Casemiro (Real Madrid/Manchester United)
Forwards: Lionel Messi (PSG), Kylian Mbappe (PSG), Benzema (Real Madrid), Aiden Harland (Borussia Dortmund/Manchester City)
