FIFA’s glitzy new award ceremony was held in Zurich on Monday night as the governing body handed out gongs to the great and the good.
It the inaugural year for the new “The Best” awards, which have come about after FIFA and France Football split following the five-year partnership where the Ballon d’Or also served as the FIFA World Player of the Year.
Cristiano Ronaldo picked up the main award, as expected, but one of the other awards is the FIFPro World XI for the best combined team in world football.
And here it is:
#TheBest Here is your FIFA FIFPro @World11 🙌https://t.co/LO8lWBKxpn pic.twitter.com/OPFDHNNWVe
— FIFA (@FIFAcom) January 9, 2017
In case you didn’t recognise everyone there, that’s Manuel Neuer in goal, behind Dani Alves, Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos and Marcelo, with Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Andres Iniesta and a front three of Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
So, no room for a single Premier League player there – but that was not the glaring omission that most fans spotted.
Instead they wondered where Antoine Griezmann was – especially given that he came third in the Ballon d’Or behind Ronaldo and Messi, and is on FIFA’s own ‘The Best’ three-man shortlist, featuring the same three players.
https://twitter.com/The_KlulezZKlu/status/818516503247155202
Why is Griezmann not there? For the year he just had, he 110% deserves to be in there. Why is Marcelo there?
— joseph (@registajoe) January 9, 2017
3 mots : OÙ EST GRIEZMANN ?! https://t.co/xJG47KT5ig
— Xavier de Lagausie (@XavdeLagausie) January 9, 2017
About Griezmann though. FIFA believe that he was one of the best 3 in the world. Just not one of the best 11. Makes sense.
— Ali (@NaboAli23) January 9, 2017
if Griezmann played for either barca or real he'd be in it!
— Shibani (@shibani_mufc) January 9, 2017
Griezmann is among FIFA Player Of the Year three finalists but still couldn't make it in the FIFA FIFPro World XI #FIFALogic
— Rupesh Pansare (@RupeshPansare07) January 9, 2017
Griezmann top 3 but not in team of the year? Kante not being in there is ridiculous. No Pepe is absolutely criminal
— GR (@GeorgeRobbins10) January 9, 2017
So Griezmann is up for Fifa Best Player of the year, yet he doesn't feature in the Fifpro World 11… something doesn't add up here…
— Daniel Blackham (@DanBlackham_) January 9, 2017
Lmao how is Griezmann top 3 but can't make FIFPro XI?
— kobbs. (@Kobby_Skywalker) January 9, 2017
