ZURICH – World Cup-winning captain Philipp Lahm is among three Germany defenders nominated by professional players for selection in the FIFA FIFPro World XI.
Five players from Brazil, beaten 7-1 by Germany in the semifinals, are included among 20 candidates for four places in the elite lineup’s defense.
The World XI will be named at FIFA’s Ballon d’Or ceremony on Jan. 12 in Zurich.
Spain has four nominees, but there are none from the Netherlands, which beat the defending World Cup champions 5-1. The Dutch closed the tournament with 370 shutout minutes including, beating Brazil 3-0.
Italy, traditionally home to top defenders, is also excluded from the shortlist.
Voting was organized by FIFPro, the international players’ union.
Leave a Reply