For the first time in nearly 20 years, Lionel Messi has been left out of the FIFPro Team of the Year, marking a break in one of football’s most consistent traditions. Messi, who joined Inter Miami last year after leaving European football, had been a regular in the Team of the Year since 2007, earning a record 17 consecutive selections and winning the Ballon d’Or eight times.
The FIFPro Team of the Year for 2024 features six players from Champions League winners Real Madrid, the highest representation from any club. The announcement was made on Monday via the FIFPro website, based on votes from over 21,000 professional footballers across 70 countries.
English Premier League champions Manchester City contributed four players to the lineup, while Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk was the only player from outside Real Madrid and City to make the cut.
Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham received the most votes, with 11,176. Four players made their debut in the Team of the Year: Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rüdiger, Ederson, and Ballon d’Or winner Rodri.
In attack, Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé, and Vinícius Jr., three of the most talked-about forwards of the moment, took the spots, leaving no room for Messi. Toni Kroos, who retired from football after the European Championship this summer, also made the team, capping off a remarkable career with Real Madrid’s Champions League triumph.
FIFPro Team of the Year
Goalkeeper: Ederson (Manchester City, Brazil)
Defenders: Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid, Spain), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool, Netherlands), Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid, Germany)
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid, England), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City, Belgium), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid, Germany), Rodri (Manchester City, Spain)
Forwards: Erling Haaland (Manchester City, Norway), Kylian Mbappé (PSG/Real Madrid, France), Vinícius Jr. (Real Madrid, Brazil)
