Football
ESPN staff 9y

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi lead FIFPro XI forwards shortlist

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will be the favourites to make the cut for the FIFA FIFPro World XI after being named on a shortlist of 15 forwards along with the likes of Luis Suarez, Neymar and Gareth Bale.

Real Madrid star Ronaldo and Barcelona counterpart Messi were named on the final three-man shortlist for the FIFA Ballon d'Or on Monday and will be hopeful of being named as the forwards in a 4-4-2 formation in the FIFPro World XI.

They face competition from Barca duo Neymar and Suarez, who had failed to make the 23-man longlist for Ballon d'Or, as well as Wales international Bale, who helped Real Madrid to success in the Copa del Rey and Champions League last season, and France striker Karim Benzema.

Chelsea striker Diego Costa, who scored 27 goals as Atletico Madrid clinched last season's La Liga title, is also a contender along with World Cup-winning Germany forward Thomas Muller, Paris Saint-Germain's Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Manchester City's Sergio Aguero.

Wayne Rooney makes the list despite both Manchester United and England enduring difficulties, while Borussia Dortmund's Marco Reus is on the shortlist after an injury-hit year that saw him miss out on Germany's triumph in Brazil.

FIFA has already announced the shortlists for the goalkeeper, defence and midfield selections.

FIFA FIFPro World XI forward shortlist:

Sergio Aguero (Argentina/Manchester City); Gareth Bale (Wales/Real Madrid); Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid); Diego Costa (Spain/Chelsea FC); Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid CF); Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden/Paris St-Germain); Robert Lewandowski (Poland/Bayern Munich); Lionel Messi (Argentina / FC Barcelona); Thomas Muller (Germany/Bayern Munich); Neymar (Brazil/Barcelona); Marco Reus (Germany/Borussia Dortmund); Arjen Robben (Netherlands/Bayern Munich); Franck Ribery (France/Bayern Munich); Wayne Rooney (England/Manchester United); Luis Suarez (Uruguay/Barcelona).

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