Rakitić & Modrić Shortlisted for World Dream Team of the Year

More evidence as to how valued Croatian midfield duo Ivan Rakitić and Luka Modrić are in the football world…

The Barcelona and Real Madrid stars have been nominated with the best players in the world for this year’s FIFA FIFPro World XI. A record 25,000 footballers from 70 countries have taken part in this year’s voting.

The starting eleven for the World Team of the Year will be named on 11 January at the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala. Here are the 55 players nominated and announced on Thursday:

Goal Keepers:
Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus)
Iker Casillas (Porto)
David De Gea (Manchester United)
Keylor Navas (Real Madrid)
Manuel Neuer (Bayern)

Defenders:
David Alaba (Bayern)
Jordi Alba (Barcelona)
Daniel Alves (Barcelona)
Jérôme Boateng (Bayern)
Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid)
Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)
David Luiz (PSG)
Diego Godín (Atlético Madrid)
Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund)
Branislav Ivanović (Chelsea)
Vincent Kompany (Manchester City)
Philipp Lahm (Bayern)
Marcelo (Real Madrid)
Javier Mascherano (Barcelona)
Pepe (Real Madrid)
Gerard Piqué (Barcelona)
Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)
Thiago Silva (PSG)
John Terry (Chelsea)
Raphaël Varane (Real Madrid)

Midfield:
Thiago Alcantara (Bayern)
Xabi Alonso (Bayern)
Sergio Busquets (Barcelona)
Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
Andrés Iniesta (Barcelona)
Toni Kroos (Real Madrid)
LUKA MODRIĆ (Real Madrid)
Andrea Pirlo (New York City FC)
Paul Pogba (Juventus)
IVAN RAKITIĆ (Barcelona)
James Rodríguez (Real Madrid)
David Silva (Manchester City)
Yaya Touré (Manchester City)
Marco Verratti (PSG)
Arturo Vidal (Bayern)

Strikers:
Sergio Agüero (Manchester City)
Gareth Bale (Real Madrid)
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
Douglas Costa (Bayern)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (PSG)
Robert Lewandowski (Bayern)
Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Thomas Müller (Bayern)
Neymar Jr. (Barcelona)
Arjen Robben (Bayern)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
Alexis Sánchez (Arsenal)
Luis Suárez (Barcelona)
Carlos Tevez (Boca Juniors)