2015 World XI per country: 68 teams
FIFPro invited professional footballers in a record number of 68 countries worldwide to participate in the vote for the 2015 FIFA FIFPro World XI. That resulted in the ‘global’ World XI, and also in 68 ‘national’ World XI’s.
In each country, players have their preferences. For example in Belgium, Kevin De Bruyne made the World XI. The Moroccans picked Mehdi Benatia, in Serbia the footballers chose Nemanja Matic.
In Ivory Coast the players preferred Yaya Touré and Serge Aurier, in Gabon Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is part of the team, in Egypt Mohammed Salah even received more votes than Cristiano Ronaldo, and in Chile they included their Copa America winners Claudio Bravo, Gary Medel, Arturo Vidal and Alexis Sanchez.
Chile was one of five countries that have five players in their national World XI who did not make the global World XI. Germany, Ghana, Ireland and Scotland are the others.
Only one country has more different players, Korea with six. The Koreans elected Giorgio Chiellini, Nicolás Otamendi, David Alaba, Yaya Touré, Gareth Bale and Robert Lewandoswki.
Three countries have World XI’s that are identical to the real World XI: Bulgaria, Cyprus and Greece.
Below a summary of the 68 World XI’s as voted per country. From Argentina to Zimbabwe, note the similarities and the differences.
(Click on the image for a larger version)
- Published: 12 January 2016