The International Federation for History and Statistics (IFFHS) has announced the Men's World Team of the Year for 2024, with Real Madrid dominating the line-up.
Five places in the coveted squad were awarded to players from Los Blancos, after they had another great year that saw them lift both the Champions League and LaLiga trophies last season.
England's Jude Bellingham plays for the Spanish team alongside recently retired Toni Kroos and FIFA Men's Player of the Year Vinicius Jr.
The team is in a 4-3-3 formation with Aston Villa's Emiliano Martinez between the posts.
In fact, Martinez is one of only four Premier League stars to have earned a place in the prestigious team.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, given that they lifted the Premier League title at the end of the 2023/2024 season, the only other three Premier League representatives come from the ranks of the Citizens.
Ballon d'Or winner Rodri naturally makes the line-up, with Kroos and Bellingham in midfield.
The Spanish midfielder – who looks set to miss the rest of the season due to a knee injury – is joined by teammates Ruben Dias and Erling Haaland as the only players from the English top flight in this year's composite XI.
In defense, Real Madrid's Dani Carvajal and Antonio Rudiger are joined by Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies to complete the backline with Dias and Martinez.
Haaland, who once again toppled defenses in 2023/2024, is led in attack by Lamine Yamal and FIFA Men's Player of the Year Vinicius Jr.
Yamal in particular has played a starring role over the past 12 months as he burst onto the scene with a brilliant back-end last season and a dazzling European Championship with Spain.
Some surprising exclusions from the squad include France striker and Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe who has been left out of the squad for the first time since 2020.
His form at French side PSG earlier this year, before joining Real Madrid, was a major contributor to his exclusion and the loss of his coveted four-year run of inclusion in the prestigious squad.
Fan favorites Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah were all ruled out despite successful seasons.
Of the 11 players who made it, three won the European Championship and five won the Champions League in the summer, when Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund with Carvajal and Vinicius on target.
Bellingham, who won the latter and reached the final of the former, was the only Englishman to make the cut.
IFFHS Team of the Year
Formation: 4-3-3
Martinez; Carvajal, Dias, Rudiger, Davies; Rodri, Bellingham, Kroos; Yamal, Haaland, Vinicius Jr.
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