The Professional Footballers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has successfully coordinated the voting process for this year’s FIFA FIFPro World XI.
By dint of this exercise, the PFAG has once again ensured that the voices and choices of Ghanaian professional footballers were factored into the award of arguably the most lucrative recognition to be handed out to footballers, since the awards are voted for by their own colleague professionals.
The FIFA FIFPRO Men and Women’s World XI are annual awards depicting the best footballers in the world’s favourite sport over the course of the year as exclusively voted for by the players, for the players!
In Ghana, the voting process was coordinated by the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana, home to all of Ghana’s professional footballers.
In a bid to ensure that the voting process went on as efficiently as possible, executive members of the PFAG paid visits to the clubs on the domestic front to present their players with the opportunity to partake in this landmark event to elect the most deserving Goalkeeper, four Defenders, three Midfielders and three Forwards.
Clubs who took part in the exercise cast their votes as follows:
Accra Lions 25
Karela United 11
Aduana Stars 25
Kpando Lions 12
Kotoko 25
Legon Cities 25
Berekum Chelsea 25
Medeama FC 25
Gold Stars 25
Nations FC 16
Dreams FC 21
Nsoatreman FC 18
Samartex 11
R.T.U. 25
Great Olympics 25
Tamale City 16
Hearts of Oak 25
Tano Bofoakwa 16
Bechem United 12
Berry FC 12
Police FC 22
Ridge FC 15
Real Madrid stars Jude Bellingham, 2023’s Golden Boy winner, Vinicius Jr and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois were also rewarded with a place in the side, despite the latter not featuring in the second half of the year due to an ACL injury.
Finally, PSG megastar Kylian Mbappe also made the team, having finished third in the Ballon d’Or ranking just a few weeks before.
The FIFA FIFPro Men’s World XI for 2023 is as follows.
GK: Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)
DEF: Kyle Walker (Man City)
DEF: John Stones (Man City)
DEF: Ruben Dias (Man City)
MID: Bernardo Silva (Man City)
MID: Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund/Real Madrid)
MID: Kevin de Bruyne (Man City)
FOR: Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)
FOR: Lionel Messi (PSG/Inter Miami)
FOR: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
FOR: Erling Haaland (Man City)
FIFA FifPro Women’s World XI
The Women’s Best XI was dominated by English players – despite the country failing to win the World Cup – with a whopping seven players getting the nod. Mary Earps, Lucy Bronze, Alex Greenwood, Ella Toone, Keira Walsh, Lauren James and Alessia Russo were honoured.
The rest of the Team of the Year was made up of World Cup winners Aitana Bonmati and Olga Carmona, Chelsea superstar Sam Kerr and USWNT legend Alex Morgan.
The FIFA FIFPro Women’s World XI for 2023 is as follows.
GK: Mary Earps (Man Utd)
DEF: Olga Carmona (Real Madrid)
DEF: Lucy Bronze (Barcelona)
DEF: Alex Greenwood (Man City)
MID: Keira Walsh (Barcelona)
MID: Alessia Russo (Man Utd/Arsenal)
MID: Lauren James (Chelsea)
MID: Ella Toone (Man Utd)
FOR: Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona)
FOR: Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave)
FOR: Sam Kerr (Chelsea)
