Real Madrid trio included in FIFPro Men’s World XI, Barcelona star among those to be surprisingly snubbed

On Monday, the 2023 FIFA FIFPro awards were held. One of the novelties of the ceremony is the FIFA FIFPro World XI, which were announced early on in the evening.

In the men’s team, there were good representation from Real Madrid. Thibaut Courtois, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior were all included, and the trio turned out to be the only players from La Liga inducted in the side.

🚨🏆 Here’s FIFA Team of the Year 2023. pic.twitter.com/N7mLALna1L

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 15, 2024

This sparked fury among Barcelona supporters, who felt that Marc-Andre Ter Stegen was deserving of a place over Courtois. The German goalkeeper had an excellent 2023, which included winning the Zamora trophy, and keeping a record number of clean sheets across the 2022-23 season.

Ter Stegen’s snub wasn’t the only one that fans picked up on, as many were felt bewildered as Spain midfielder Rodri’s exclusion. The 27-year-old had an all-conquering 2023, which included winning five trophies with Manchester City and also the UEFA Nations League with La Roja.