FIFA named its best 55 players and no African player on the list

Riyad Mahrez, Sadio Mane, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and all other African players were not good enough to make the top 55 players in the world according to results from the 2016/2017 FIFPro World XI voting.

FIFA named its best 55 players and there was no African player on the list

Sadio Mane’s goals for Liverpool, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s impact for German Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund or African Player of the Year Riyad Mahrez mesmerizing display for Leicester City did not count when 55 players were nominated for the 2016/2017 FIFPro World XI.

With a slightly different voting scheme this year, around 25, 000 professional footballers were made to select a team of 11 including one goalkeeper, four defenders, three midfielders and three attackers with players with the most votes making the shortlist.

Among the 55 players announced after the voting for the 2016/2017 FIFPro World XI, not a single African footballer was able to make the list.

Cristiano Ronaldo

The 55-men saw 13 from Spanish La Liga and UEFA Champions League Champions Real Madrid. UEFA Europa player of the Year, Paul Pogba also made the list with David De Gea, Philippe Coutinho, N’Golo Kante, Eden Hazard and Mesut Ozil all joining him from the Premier League.

Paris Saint Germain’s Neymar made the cut alongside Manchester United’s  Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Here’s the full list of 55 players.

Goalkeepers

Gianluigi Buffon – Italy, JuventusDavid De Gea – Spain, Manchester UnitedKeylor Navas – Costa Rica, Real MadridManuel Neuer – Germany, Bayern MunichJan Oblak – Slovenia, Atletico Madrid

Defenders

David Alaba – Austria, Bayern MunichJordi Alba – Spain, BarcelonaDani Alves – Brazil, Paris Saint-GermainJerome Boateng – Germany, Bayern MunichLeonardo Bonucci – Italy, Juventus/AC MilanDani Carvajal – Spain, Real MadridGiorgio Chiellini – Italy, JuventusDiego Godin – Uruguay, Atletico MadridMats Hummels – Germany, Bayern MunichPhillipp Lahm – Germany, Bayern Munich/retiredDavid Luiz – Brazil, ChelseaMarcelo – Brazil, Real MadridJavier Mascherano – Argentina, BarcelonaPepe – Portugal, Real Madrid/BesiktasGerard Pique – Spain, BarcelonaSergio Ramos – Spain, Real MadridThiago Silva – Brazil, Paris Saint-GermainSamuel Umtiti – France, BarcelonaAntonio Valencia – Ecuador, Manchester UnitedRaphael Varane – France, Real Madrid

Lionel Messi

Midfielders

Thiago Alcantara – Spain, Bayern MunichSergio Busquets – Spain, BarcelonaCasemiro – Brazil, Real MadridPhilippe Coutinho – Brazil, LiverpoolEden Hazard – Belgium, ChelseaAndres Iniesta – Spain, BarcelonaIsco – Spain, Real MadridN’Golo Kante – France, ChelseaToni Kroos – Germany, Real MadridNemanja Matic – Serbia, Chelsea/Manchester UnitedLuka Modric – Croatia, Real MadridMesut Ozil – Germany, ArsenalPaul Pogba – France, Manchester UnitedMarco Verratti – Italy, Paris Saint-GermainArturo Vidal – Chile, Bayern Munich

Forwards

Gareth Bale – Wales, Real MadridKarim Benzema – France, Real MadridEdinson Cavani – Uruguay, Paris Saint-GermainPaulo Dybala – Argentina, JuventusAntoine Griezmann – France, Atletico MadridZlatan Ibrahimovic – Sweden, Manchester UnitedHarry Kane – England, Tottenham HotspurRobert Lewandowski – Poland, Bayern MunichRomelu Lukaku – Belgium, Manchester UnitedKylian Mbappe – France, Paris Saint-GermainLionel Messi – Argentina, BarcelonaNeymar – Brazil, Paris Saint-GermainCristiano Ronaldo – Portugal, Real MadridAlexis Sanchez – Chile, ArsenalLuis Suarez – Uruguay, Barcelona

Neymar

But people were just not going to take the fact that no African player was worthy to make the list.