Ranking the 5 footballers who deserved a spot in the IFFHS Men's world team of the year
Every year, the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) makes a Men's World Team of the Year consisting of the best footballers around the world.
Being part of this elite line-up is no ordinary feat. Standing out as the best footballer in one position among so many professionals is a daunting task, even for the most prominent names.
Registered in Zurich, Switzerland, the IFFHS is the biggest tracker and keeper of all statistics associated with football. Naturally, the World XI they select is not based on emotions but valid facts. It is considered the most accurate representation of the best performances in football in a given period.
However, there can only be 11 footballers who get selected to the team every year. While there can be no doubt about the selection of footballers, it is always felt that one or more deserving candidates have been left out.
The following footballers may or may not have performed better than the 11 candidates in 2021's team and that can always be debated. However, they can easily claim that their performances were at least as good as the names on the IFFHS Men's World XI team 2021.
#5 Bruno Fernandes - Manchester United
The midfield of IFFHS World XI is comprised of Jorginho, Kevin De Bruyne, and Lionel Messi. But Bruno Fernandes is a definite miss, especially after the wonderful 2021 he has had at a personal level.
Fernandes won a nomination in the 2021 Ballon D'Or where he came 21st, and even that can seem strange based on his statistics for the year.
Bruno Fernandes has created more chances in top-five league and UEFA competition than any other player in 2021 (127).
No.21 in the #BallondOr https://t.co/ry0jBYC0cl
In 2021, Bruno Fernandes had the highest chances created (127) across Europe's top 5 leagues and club competitions. Fernandes was also one of the most dependable performers for Manchester United during the 2020-21 season.
He made an incredible 58 appearances and registered 28 goals and 17 assists across all competitions. Fernandes had the highest number of league goals among midfielders in the same season. Sadly, the Portuguese couldn't inspire his club or country to a trophy, which could have been a possible reason for his exclusion.
#4 Joshua Kimmich - Bayern Munich
It's lovely to see a defensive midfielder like Jorginho in the IFFHS World's XI team of 2021. However, one can't help but feel sad for the absence of Joshua Kimmich.
Quite strangely, Kimmich didn't receive a nomination in the Top 30 list of Ballon D'Or in 2021 as well. It's almost as if a great defensive performer has been ignored without very concrete reasons.
Joshua Kimmich!!!🎰☝
🙌 Massive Talent 🙌 https://t.co/slfaUDCzde
In the 2020-21 season, Kimmich was one of the best performers for Bayern Munich. He made 39 appearances and registered 20 goal contributions. Kimmich is not only about goal contributions as he is a robust tackler and helps protect the backline as well.
The German has played well in the current campaign as well with quality offensive and defensive work. Kimmich won just one major trophy with Bayern Munich in 2021, and a higher number of successes may have pushed his case further.
He also played well for Germany at Euro 2020, but couldn't guide his team past the Round of 16.