UEFA have released their shortlist of 50 players nominated for the 2018 UEFA.com fans’ Team of the Year.
Fourteen clubs and 20 nationalities are represented with five goalkeepers, 15 defenders, 15 midfielders and 15 forwards.
Picking an XI from the list of players is incredibly difficult but fans will no doubt enjoy doing so.
Upon releasing their list of 50 nominees, UEFA also decided to publish their “Ultimate Team of the Year: the all-time XI.”
To work this out, UEFA have gone back to see which players have made the UEFA.com Team of the Year the most times.
And it’s created a rather incredible XI.
UEFA'S ULTIMATE ALL-TIME XI
Iker Casillas | Goalkeeper | 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
Sergio Ramos | Right-back | 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
Philipp Lahm | Left-back | 2006, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014
Carles Puyol | Centre-back | 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010
Gerard Pique | Centre-back | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016
Xavi | Centre-midfield | 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
Andres Iniesta | Centre-midfield | 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016
Steven Gerrard | Centre-midfield | 2005, 2006, 2007
Cristiano Ronaldo | Striker | 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
Lionel Messi | Striker | 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
Thierry Henry | Striker | 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006
That’s not a bad line-up, is it?
Of course, the XI brings up plenty of talking points.
Gerrard being included and not Paul Scholes or Frank Lampard will interest English fans.
While there will be many questioning how Zidane or Kaka aren’t there.
Incidentally, Gerrard, Kaka, Zidane, Ronaldinho, Toni Kroos and Pavel Nedved have all been included in the Team of the Year on three occasions. However, Gerrard's seven nominations in the list of 50 has seen him included ahead of Kaká (five), Ronaldinho (four), Kroos (four), Nedved (three) and Zidane (three).
But just look at that front-three of Henry, Messi and Ronaldo. Imagine those three playing together in their prime.
Enough to trouble Ramos, Lahm, Puyol and Pique…