DELE ALLI has been named as one of FIFPRO’s 55 best players in the world, ahead of the release of their annual world XI.
All professional footballers around the globe were asked to select their best XIs, with FIFPRO subsequently whittling the selections down to a shortlist of the 55 most voted for players.
Dele has started one Premier League game this seasonCredit: Getty Images – Getty
And surprisingly, Tottenham’s Alli has earned his first inclusion.
The Spurs ace didn’t make the cut in any of the years in which he banged goals in for fun.
But in his heavily disrupted 2020, in which he has started just five games since March, Alli has been recognised by his peers as one of the world’s elite.
He joins a decent Spurs contingent on the list, which includes Hugo Lloris, Toby Alderweireld, Son Heung-min and Harry Kane.
Alli, 24, was suspended for Spurs’ first game back upon last season’s resumption in June.
But he was straight back into the starting XI for their next game against West Ham.
A muscle injury ruled him out for much of the remainder of last term, but he has been largely frozen out this time around.
He was selected for the opening day defeat to Everton, but has played just 21 minutes of Premier League football since.
FIFPRO World 11 nominees
Goalkeepers:
Alisson – Liverpool
Thibaut Courtois – Real Madrid
David de Gea – Manchester United
Gianluigi Donnarumma – AC Milan
Ederson – Man City
Hugo Lloris – Tottenham
Keylor Navas – PSG
Manuel Neuer – Bayern Munich
Jan Oblak – Atletico Madrid
Marc-Andre ter Stegen – Barcelona
Defenders:
David Alaba – Bayern Munich
Jordi Alba – Barcelona
Toby Alderweireld – Tottenham
Trent Alexander-Arnold – Liverpool
Dani Alves – Sao Paulo
Jerome Boateng – Bayern Munich
Alphonso Davies – Bayern Munich
Virgil van Dijk – Liverpool
Kalidou Koulibaly – Napoli
Matthijs de Ligt – Juventus
Marcelo – Real Madrid
Sergio Ramos – Real Madrid
Andrew Robertson – Liverpool
Thiago Silva – Chelsea
Raphael Varane – Real Madrid
Midfielders:
Thiago Alcantara – Liverpool
Dele Alli – Tottenham
Sergio Busquets – Barcelona
Casemiro – Real Madrid
Philippe Coutinho – Barcelona
Kevin De Bruyne – Man City
Bruno Fernandes – Man United
Leon Goretzka – Bayern Munich
Jordan Henderson – Liverpool
Frenkie de Jong – Barcelona
N’Golo Kante – Chelsea
Toni Kroos – Real Madrid
Joshua Kimmich – Bayern Munich
Luka Modric – Real Madrid
Thomas Muller – Bayern Munich
Forwards:
Sergio Aguero – Man City
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – Arsenal
Karim Benzema – Real Madrid
Serge Gnabry – Bayern Munich
Erling Haaland – Borussia Dortmund
Zlatan Ibrahimovic – AC Milan
Harry Kane – Tottenham
Robert Lewandowski – Bayern Munich
Sadio Mane – Liverpool
Kylian Mbappe – PSG
Lionel Messi – Barcelona
Neymar – PSG
Cristiano Ronaldo – Juventus
Mohamed Salah – Liverpool
Son Heung-min – Tottenham
Harry Kane and Son Heung-min have also made the cutCredit: AFP and licensors
The England international has not even been selected for the bench for Spurs’ last seven league matches, and remained an unused substitute in last night’s 2-0 win over Royal Antwerp in the Europa League – the competition in which three of his four starts this season have come.
Alli is one of 15 midfielders named on the list, all of which have played far more football than the Spurs star.
Fellow Premier League players Thiago Alcantara, Kevin De Bruyne, Bruno Fernandes, Jordan Henderson and N’Golo Kante made the cut.
While Sergio Busquets, Casemiro, Philippe Coutinho, Leon Goretzka, Frenkie de Jong, Toni Kroos, Joshua Kimmich, Luka Modric and Thomas Muller round off the list.
Alli has been strongly linked with a move to PSG in January, after the French champions had three approaches knocked back in the summer.
Thomas Tuchel’s side now believe that they can get a deal done, with the Mail claiming that Spurs are ready to let their former star man go.
Arsenal should make £50m Dele Alli transfer offer from rivals Tottenham to add midfield goals, says Ray Parlour
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
