UEFA.com users' Team of the Year 2012

A record 5.3 million votes were cast that produced a Liga-dominated XI with four players each from FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF. This shows the quality of players in the La Liga, probably the most competitive league in the world. The team is as follows:

Goalkeeper: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid CF & Spain)

Defender: Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid CF & Spain)

Defender: Gerard Piqué (FC Barcelona & Spain)

Defender: Thiago Silva (AC Milan/Paris Saint-Germain FC)

Defender: Philipp Lahm (FC Bayern München & Germany)

Midfielder: Andrés Iniesta (FC Barcelona & Spain)

Midfielder: Xavi Hernández (FC Barcelona & Spain)

Midfielder: Andrea Pirlo (Juventus & Italy)

Midfielder: Mesut Özil (Real Madrid CF & Germany)

Forward: Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona)

Forward: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid CF & Portugal)

For the third time in a row, 8 La Liga players feature in the Team of the Year. FC Barcelona superstar, Iniesta was voted by almost 3 out of every 4 users who participated in the voting.

Club-mates Pique, Xavi and Messi also feature in the team, with Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo leading the attack. It was a debut for 24-year old Ozil, who is the youngest player in the squad, meanwhile 33-year Pirlo is the oldest player in the team.

Each member of the team will receive a €100,000 cheque from UEFA on behalf of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).