The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner missed out on the 2024 FIFPRO World 11 after 17-year streak, but change had to come
So, what do we make all of this? Here we have the 2024 FIFPRO Men's World 11. And yes, you might have to check that lust twice. Maybe even a third time. For the first time since 2006, there is no room for a certain Argentine. Seriously, read it again, Lionel Messi isn't there.
That is, of course, expected in some ways. And let's face it, the guy is 37 and plays in a weaker league these days. But he seems such a key part of the landscape of modern football. It's just weird that he's not there.
But, eras end. There are four debutants here, and a total of six nominees who have never made a list. There are also a handful of welcome returns. Change is strange, but it's also good. Scrutinize things, and this squad does seem a little weaker than years past – especially at the back.
To scrutinize those things, though, is to miss the point. This sport has a wave of interesting new talents coming through, which means the old ones eventually have to go. Jarring? Sure. Necessary? Absolutely. The 2024 FIFPRO World 11 is a transitional squad. And it absolutely has to be.
FIFPROWhere are you, Leo?
It had to end at some point, right? Messi couldn't be at the top of the sport forever, and even though, on his day, he still can be, the final elite act of his career probably came with his 2022 World Cup heroics. That we are two full years removed from that and still considering Messi among the best in the world is something that simply cannot be ignored. However, the harsh reality of sports is that eras have to come to an end.
Look over this squad, try as many ways as possible to shoehorn, and there's still no real space for the great Argentine. Haaland, Mbappe and Vinicius Jr all had better attacking seasons, in more competitive leagues. The midfield – for once, complete with actual midfielders – features four must-haves. In past years, there have been spots up for debate. Did Claude Makelele really deserve it in 2005? How did Radamel Falcao make the cut in 2012? A squad like that might leave room for this iteration of Messi.
But this year, there is simply no one to be cut. It could also be argued that in Lamine Yamal, there is at least one attacking player better equipped to make this thing than Messi, anyway.
AdvertisementgettyRodri gets his flowers
Man City fans will tell you that Rodri has been an elite centre-midfielder for years now; he just hasn't got the crediot he deserves. And that's probably true. The issue is, Rodri does a lot of useful things. He tackles, he covers ground, he sniffs out the passes before they happen. There are very few highlights to be found – outside of the nerd-sphere – of a well orchestrated midfield press.
The wider sporting consciousness has little appreciation for the art of a well-timed tactical foul. These are, indeed, the little things that make a big difference.
Rodri's inclusion – as with his Ballon d'Or win – then, is one for the nerds. The obvious facts are here: Premier League winner, Euro 2024 winner, the consensus best player on both teams. But appreciation for footballers of his archetype is far too rare. This one, then, feels like a way of acknowledging something that has been true for a few years now: Rodri is the best in the world at his position – and his team cannot function without him.
GettyRudiger and the art of a great defensive season
At the same time, though, there is something to be said for 12 months of sustained brilliance – without an overtly compelling resume to back it up. Antonio Rudiger has never been a bad center-back. Chelsea fans adored him for his one-on-one nous, prowess in the air, and odd penchant for at least one thirty-yard screamer per season (seriously, it was like clockwork.)
But he has never really quite been in the bracket of the world's best. The fact that he hasn't previously even been voted to a 26-man shortlist for the award says it all. Here is a defender who has always been very good, but not quite elite. But as Real Madrid suffered an injury crisis of sorts last year, Rudiger was a constant. Other big names went down, but he stayed fit, and Madrid were sturdy at the back throughout.
His most impressive achievement was, of course, the quietening of Haaland. Very few defenders can stop the great Norwegian. For some reason, Rudiger has figured out how to do it. And his performances against Haaland across two legs of the Champions League semi-final alone is enough. Whether Rudiger pops up in one of these teams remains to be seen. But he has shown that one exquisite campaign can go a long way.
Getty Images SportYoung players out, but so many years to come
There was no Messi robbery here. The Argentine's moment at the highest echelon of the game has gone (so, too, has Cristiano Ronaldo's, for that matter.) But there are others who missed out. There was no place for Lamine Yamal, Golden Boy Winner, Young Player of the Tournament at Euro 2024, and sole reason Barcelona have stayed afloat for nine months. Jamal Musiala, a crucial cog for Bayern Munich and starlet of the German national team, was also left off. The same can be said for Jeremie Frimpong, William Saliba and Cole Palmer.
But peer over the list, and there's further transition to come. Kroos, named in the XI, announced his retirement at the end of the 2023-24 season. Virgil Van Dijk may soon cede his spot to the younger Saliba – his heir apparent in the Premier League. Kevin De Bruyne has struggled with injuries, and may be on his way out in Man City. Carvajal is 31, and just sustained a serious knee injury. There could be four spots up for debate as soon as next year, with a gaggle of top talents ready to takeover.
And there's something sad about that. The status quo, it seems, has been maintained for so long. Eras are difficult to let go of in the highest level of elite sports. The good news? This younger generation might just be even more exciting than the one that has graced the game for years.
