Eden Hazard has been given a place in the Best FIFA Awards Men's World XI team, unveiled on Monday evening at Milan's La Scala during the Best FIFA Football Awards' gala evening.
Belgian Kevin De Bruyne was also among the nominated players but did not make it into the top eleven for 2019.
The World XI is made up of the Brazilian Alisson Becker, who also received the Goalkeeper of the Year prize, Dutch defensive players Virgil van Dijk and Matthijs de Ligt, Brazilian Marcelo, Spaniard Sergio Ramos, midfielders Dutchman Frenkie de Jong, Croatian Luka Modric and Eden Hazard along with an attack comprising the Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo, Frenchman Kylian Mbappé and Argentinian Lionel Messi.
On September 5, FIFA unveiled a list of 55 candidates for the World XI. This Team of the Year is chosen according to the votes of professional footballers throughout the world. Each player chose a goalkeeper, four defenders, three midfielders and three attacking players. The period taken into account for gauging their performances is from July 16 2018 until July 19 2019.
Last year, Hazard was included in the World XI for his performances in the 2018 World Cup. De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois and Romelu Lukaku were all among those named.
For the first time, a women's World XI for the year has also been introduced. It comprises Sari van Veenendaal in goal, Lucy Bronze, Nilla Fischer, Kelley O'Hara and Wendie Renard in defence, Julie Ertz, Amandine Henry, Rose Lavelle in midfield and Marta, Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe in attack.
The Brussels Times
