Who is the best defender of the world ? Who will be chosen for the FUT 14 TOTY ? Which one will get more votes on the FIFA FIFPro World XI 2013 ? Check here the TOTY Defenders shortlist.
FIFA FIFPro World XI 2013: TOTY Defenders Shortlist
These twenty defenders are nominated by their peers for the 2013 FIFA FIFPro World XI (FUT 14 TOTY Defenders):
- David Alaba (Austria, FC Bayern München)
Jordi Alba (Spain, FC Barcelona)
Dani Alves (Brazil, FC Barcelona)
Leighton Baines (England, Everton FC)
Jérôme Boateng (Germany, FC Bayern München)
Ashley Cole (England, Chelsea FC)
Dante (Brazil, FC Bayern München)
Mats Hummels (Germany, Borussia Dortmund)
Branislav Ivanovic (Serbia, Chelsea FC)
Philipp Lahm (Germany, FC Bayern München)
David Luiz (Brazil, Chelsea FC)
Vincent Kompany (Belgium, Manchester City FC)
Marcelo (Brazil, Real Madrid CF)
Pepe (Portugal, Real Madrid CF)
Gerard Piqué (Spain, FC Barcelona)
Sergio Ramos (Spain, Real Madrid CF)
Thiago Silva (Brazil, Paris Saint-Germain FC)
Raphaël Varane (France, Real Madrid CF)
Nemanja Vidic (Serbia, Manchester United FC)
Pablo Zabaleta (Argentina, Manchester City FC)
In comparison with last year, six players make their first appearance on this shortlist and one returns to the fold. Nemanja Vidic is back after injury affected his chances in 2012. The Serbian captain of Manchester United regained full fitness and made an important contribution in the Red Devils’ 2012/2013 Premier League title win. Vidic has twice made the final cut in the World XI’s four-man backline, in 2009 and 2011.
This is unchartered territory for six newcomers: David Alaba, Leighton Baines, Jérôme Boateng, Dante, Raphaël Varane and Pablo Zabaleta. If one of them is selected in the final four, it will be the first time a shortlist debutant has managed to crack the World XI.
In the 2013 Champions League semi-final ties, Germany triumphed over Spain in that Bayern München and Borussia Dortmund accounted for Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively. However, the World XI defensive shortlist tells a different story. Spain’s leading clubs have seven representatives between them (Real Madrid 4, Barcelona 3) compared to Germany’s five (Bayern München 4, Borussia Dortmund 1).
In 2012, the players voted for a World XI team made up entirely of La Liga stars, but this year’s shortlist contains a host of individuals, from Dante, Boateng, Lahm, Hummels and Alaba, to name but a few, with the potential to end the Spanish reign and maybe start a German reign.
Which domestic competition possesses the most players among the 20 defenders shortlisted? The voting process resulted in a draw with England’s Premier League and Spain’s La Liga having seven nominees each for the World XI.
FIFPro would like to congratulate Ashley Cole for his World XI nomination. The English left back has the questionable honour of being the only player to have appeared on all eight previous shortlists without ever managing to break into the World XI. Could this finally be his year? Similarly, this is Phillip Lahm’s eighth nomination, and the Bayern Munich captain too has never been picked in the World XI.
Seven players from the 2012 shortlist dropped out from the elite group, including four very experienced former World XI members: John Terry (5 times), Carles Puyol (3), Patrice Evra (1) and Rio Ferdinand (1). Have we seen the last of these well-respected veterans or are they capable of making a Nemanja Vidic-like comeback in 2014?
Twenty players are nominated for the FUT 14 TOTY Defenders
Check the video on the top of this page to know more about the FUT 14 TOTY Defenders Shortlist.
The FIFA FIFPro World XI will be unveiled on January 13 2014 at FIFA’s Ballon D’Or in Zurich, Switzerland.
Source: FIFPro Website