Year XI of FIFA is … strange. Lewandowski in good company

. This is the second award for a Pole during the FIFA The Best gala. FIFPro’s eleven of the year had been chosen a few minutes earlier, in which the name of the Bayern Munich striker was not missing. The squad was almost full of Europeans. The only exception is the Paris Saint-Germain footballer from Argentina.

FIFA chose the best eleven of 2021. Big names and a surprising formation

When announcing the best players for 2021, it was decided that three central defenders will be selected for the squad. This solution is used by many coaches, but usually they are supported by pendulums, placed in the side zones of the pitch. During this year’s gala, however, the focus was on the offensive and as many as four forwards were distinguished instead of swinging ones.

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FIFPro’s eleven of the year was therefore placed in the 1-3-3-4 formation. The full composition is presented below:

• Goalie: Gianluigi Donnarumma (Włochy, PSG),
• Defenders: David Alaba (Austria, Real Madrid), Ruben Dias (Portugal, Manchester City), Leonardo Bonucci (Italy, Juventus),
• Helpers: Jorginho (Italy, Chelsea), N’Golo Kante (France, Chelsea), Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium, Manchester City),
• The attackers: (Portugal, Manchester United), Erling Haaland (Norway, Borussia Dortmund), (Poland, Bayern Munich), Lionel Messi (Argentina, PSG).

Some of this year’s FIFA The Best gala choices may surprise you. Eleven of the year was chosen when the Goalkeeper of the Year award went to Edouard Mendy. The discrepancy arises from the principles of choice. The FIFPro Eleven of the Year is chosen on the basis of votes cast by other players and female soccer players. Mendy, on the other hand, was voted in by a jury of current national men’s coaches, national team captains, journalists “from every territory represented by the national team and fans registered on FIFA.com.”