Messi and Ronaldo lead FIFPro World XI as Salah, Neymar, others miss out

Real Madrid once more weighed heavily in the pick of football’s stars for 2018, contributing four current players as well as the new Juve signing

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have both been named in the FIFPro World XI, but Mohamed Salah and Neymar did not make the cut.

World Cup winners Kylian Mbappe, Raphael Varane and N’Golo Kante were included with Manchester United star Paul Pogba missing out.

Kante’s Chelsea team-mate Eden Hazard features in a four-man forward line, with David de Gea the only other Premier League star included.

The Manchester United man was curiously included in goal ahead of Thibaut Courtois, despite the Real Madrid and Belgium shot-stopper winning the Best Goalkeeper gong earlier in the ceremony.

Salah was another to miss out, having made the three-man shortlist for Best Player which was eventually won by Luka Modric.

Modric, who won the Golden Ball at the World Cup for his performances in Croatia’s run to the final, is named in midfield with Real Madrid team-mates Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane and Marcelo also in the side.

FIFPro World XI in full : David de Gea, Dani Alves, Raphael Varane, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Luka Modric, N’Golo Kante, Eden Hazard, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Cristiano Ronaldo.