The International Federation of History and Statistics (IFFHS) has revealed its Men’s World Team of the Year for 2024 with Real Madrid dominating the line-up.
Five spots in the coveted team were awarded to players from Los Blancos, after they enjoyed yet another stellar year which saw them lift both the Champions League and LaLiga trophy last season.
England ace Jude Bellingham features for the Spanish outfit alongside the recently retired Toni Kroos and FIFA men’s player of the year Vinicius Jr.
The team is set in a 4-3-3 formation with Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez in between the posts.
In fact, Martinez is one of only four Premier League stars who earned a spot in the prestigious team.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given that they went on to lift the Premier League title at the end of the 2023-24 campaign, the only other three Premier League representatives come from the Citizens’ ranks.
Jude Bellingham is one of five Real Madrid stars to be awarded a spot on the coveted team
Aston Villa ‘s Emiliano Martinez is one of only four Premier League stars who earned a spot in the prestigious team
He is joined only by Manchester City’s Rodri (pictured), Ruben Dias, and Erling Haaland in the Premier League
Ballon d’Or winner Rodri naturally makes the line-up, featuring in midfield alongside Kroos and Bellingham.
The Spanish midfielder – who looks set to miss the rest of the season with a knee injury – is joined by team-mates Ruben Dias and Erling Haaland as the only players to feature from the English top-flight in this year’s compiled XI.
In defence, Real Madrid’s Dani Carvajal and Antonio Rudiger are joined by Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies to complete the back line with Dias and Martinez.
Haaland, who once again blasted defences away in 2023-24, is joined up top by Lamine Yamal and FIFA men’s player of the year Vinicius Jr in attack.
Yamal in particular starred over the last 12 months as he erupted on the scene with a brilliant back end of last season and a staggering European Championship with Spain.
Some surprise exclusions from the squad include Kylian Mbappe, the French and Real Madrid forward has been left out of the squad for the first time since 2020.
His form with French-side PSG earlier this year before he linked up with Real Madrid contributed heavily to his exclusion and losing his coveted four-year streak of being included in the prestigious squad.
Fan favourites Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah were all excluded despite having successful seasons.
Vinicius Jr starred for Real Madrid as they won the Champions League once again in 2023-24
Some surprise exclusions from the squad include Kylian Mbappe, the French and Real Madrid forward has been left out of the squad for the first time since 2020
Of the 11 players to make the cut, three won the Euros and five lifted the Champions League in the summer, as Real Madrid saw off Borussia Dortmund with Carvajal and Vinicius on target.
Bellingham, who won the latter and reached the final of the former, was the only Englishman to make the cut.
IFFHS Team of the Year
Formation: 4-3-3
Martinez; Carvajal, Dias, Rudiger, Davies; Rodri, Bellingham, Kroos; Yamal, Haaland, Vinicius Jr.
