Professional footballers were invited to vote for their FIFPRO team of the year
By LUKE POWER
Published: 11:26 EST, 9 December 2024 | Updated: 11:35 EST, 9 December 2024
Jude Bellingham earned more votes than any other star to be in FIFPRO's 2024 World XI, it has been confirmed.
The Real Madrid and England star received 11,176 votes to break into the line-up, meaning 53 per cent of voters back him.
That's a special honour considering that Ballon d'Or hero Rodri, Champions League winner Vinicius Junior, and the prolific Erling Haaland all made it into the team.
Bellingham was the only English star to make it into the mix.
FIFPRO is the international federation of professional footballers and give players the chance to vote in their favourite stars every year, picking three players in each position - divided into goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, and forwards.
According to FIFPRO's post announcing the team on Monday, their World XI was chosen by 21,266 players worldwide.
Jude Bellingham earned more votes than any other player to be in FIFPRO's 2024 World XI
In a landmark moment, Lionel Messi missed out on the team for the first time in 17 years.
Messi, whose first appearance in FIFPRO's World XI was in 2007, has been a regular fixture in the front line every year since but was not selected ahead of Man City's Haaland or Real Madrid duo Kylian Mbappe and Vini Jr this time around.
Fellow all-time great Cristiano Ronaldo enjoyed a 16-year streak in the team, which is selected and voted for by footballers themselves and was first launched in 2005, before failing to make the cut in 2023.
Rodri's Ballon d'Or triumph over Vinicius Jr caused widespread controversy last month after Real Madrid opted to boycott the ceremony — but the reigning Champions League winners' president Florentino Perez will undoubtedly be delighted to see six Los Blancos representatives in the 2024 World XI.
Bellingham joined Bernabeu team-mates Mbappe, Vinicius Jr, Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rudiger and retired Germany international Toni Kroos in being credited with the honour of inclusion.
Meanwhile, Kevin De Bruyne and Ederson were selected alongside Haaland and Rodri from Manchester City, who won an unprecedented fourth straight Premier League title under Pep Guardiola last campaign.
Phil Foden, who was crowned PFA Player of the Year at the end of last season, will perhaps consider himself unfortunate not to be selected, as will Liverpool's Mohamed Salah after another remarkable year at Anfield.
Salah's Reds team-mate Virgil van Dijk did make the XI for a fourth time in what is his first appearance since 2022, partnering Rudiger and Carvajal in a back three.
De Bruyne, 33, and Mbappe, 25, boast the most appearances of any player in the 2024 team, with each being given the honour on five occasions.
The Belgian playmaker has been named in every lineup since 2020, now earning as many appearances as Chelsea legend John Terry and Spain's World Cup winning captain Iker Casillas.
Jude BellinghamReal Madrid