Nominees for World XI 2015 announced

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo lead the way in FIFpro and Fifa's 55-man shortlist for the 2015 World XI

FIFPro, in association with Fifa, have announced the final 55 players in contention for a spot on the 2015 World XI.



The 55 players have been selected by professional footballers worldwide, with a new record of almost 25,000 players from 70 countries participating in this year’s ballot.



The Fifa FIFPro World XI will be announced on January 11, 2016, at the Ballon D’Or ceremony in Zurich.



The 55-player shortlist:



Goalkeepers (5): Gianluigi Buffon (Italy/Juventus), Iker Casillas (Spain/Porto), David De Gea (Spain/Manchester United), Keylor Navas (Costa Rica/Real Madrid) and Manuel Neuer (Germany/Bayern Munich).



Defenders (20): David Alaba (Austria/Bayern Munich), Jordi Alba (Spain/Barcelona), Jerome Boateng (Germany/Bayern Munich), Daniel Carvajal (Spain/Real Madrid), Giorgio Chiellini (Italy/Juventus), Dani Alves (Brazil/Barcelona), David Luiz (Brazil/Paris Saint-Germain), Diego Godin (Uruguay/Atletico Madrid), Mats Hummels (Germany/Borussia Dortmund), Branislav Ivanovic (Serbia/Chelsea), Vincent Kompany (Belgium/Manchester City), Philipp Lahm (Germany/Bayern Munich), Marcelo (Brazil/Real Madrid), Javier Mascherano (Argentina/Barcelona), Pepe (Portugal/Real Madrid), Gerard Pique (Spain/Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Spain/Real Madrid), John Terry (England/Chelsea), Thiago Silva (Brazil/Paris Saint-Germain) and Raphael Varane (France/Real Madrid).



Midfielders (15): Thiago Alcantara (Spain/Bayern Munich), Xabi Alonso (Spain/Bayern Munich), Sergio Busquets (Spain/Barcelona), Eden Hazard (Belgium/Chelsea), Andres Iniesta (Spain/Barcelona), Toni Kroos (Germany/Real Madrid), Luka Modric (Croatia/Real Madrid), Andrea Pirlo (Italy/New York City), Paul Pogba (France/Juventus), Ivan Rakitic (Croatia/Barcelona), James Rodriguez (Colombia/Real Madrid), David Silva (Spain/Manchester City),Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast/Manchester City), Marco Verratti (Italy/Paris Saint-Germain) and Arturo Vidal (Chile/Bayern Munich).



Forwards (15): Sergio Aguero (Argentina/Manchester City), Gareth Bale (Wales/Real Madrid), Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid), Douglas Costa (Brazil/Bayern Munich), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden/Paris Saint-Germain), Robert Lewandowski (Poland/Bayern Munich), Lionel Messi (Argentina/Barcelona), Thomas Muller (Germany/Bayern Munich), Neymar (Brazil/Barcelona), Arjen Robben (Netherlands/Bayern Munich), Wayne Rooney (England/Manchester United), Alexis Sánchez (Chile/Arsenal), Luis Suarez (Uruguay/Barcelona) and Carlos Tevez (Argentina/Boca Juniors).