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Every year, the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) makes a Men's World Team of the Year consisting of the best footballers around the world.
Being part of this elite line-up is no ordinary feat. Standing out as the best footballer in one position among so many professionals is a daunting task, even for the most prominent names.
Registered in Zurich, Switzerland, the IFFHS is the biggest tracker and keeper of all statistics associated with football. Naturally, the World XI they select is not based on emotions but valid facts. It is considered the most accurate representation of the best performances in football in a given period.
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However, there can only be 11 footballers who get selected to the team every year. While there can be no doubt about the selection of footballers, it is always felt that one or more deserving candidates have been left out.
The following footballers may or may not have performed better than the 11 candidates in 2021's team and that can always be debated. However, they can easily claim that their performances were at least as good as the names on the IFFHS Men's World XI team 2021.
#5 Bruno Fernandes - Manchester United
The midfield of IFFHS World XI is comprised of Jorginho, Kevin De Bruyne, and Lionel Messi. But Bruno Fernandes is a definite miss, especially after the wonderful 2021 he has had at a personal level.
Fernandes won a nomination in the 2021 Ballon D'Or where he came 21st, and even that can seem strange based on his statistics for the year.
In 2021, Bruno Fernandes had the highest chances created (127) across Europe's top 5 leagues and club competitions. Fernandes was also one of the most dependable performers for Manchester United during the 2020-21 season.
He made an incredible 58 appearances and registered 28 goals and 17 assists across all competitions. Fernandes had the highest number of league goals among midfielders in the same season. Sadly, the Portuguese couldn't inspire his club or country to a trophy, which could have been a possible reason for his exclusion.
#4 Joshua Kimmich - Bayern Munich
It's lovely to see a defensive midfielder like Jorginho in the IFFHS World's XI team of 2021. However, one can't help but feel sad for the absence of Joshua Kimmich.
Quite strangely, Kimmich didn't receive a nomination in the Top 30 list of Ballon D'Or in 2021 as well. It's almost as if a great defensive performer has been ignored without very concrete reasons.
In the 2020-21 season, Kimmich was one of the best performers for Bayern Munich. He made 39 appearances and registered 20 goal contributions. Kimmich is not only about goal contributions as he is a robust tackler and helps protect the backline as well.
The German has played well in the current campaign as well with quality offensive and defensive work. Kimmich won just one major trophy with Bayern Munich in 2021, and a higher number of successes may have pushed his case further.
He also played well for Germany at Euro 2020, but couldn't guide his team past the Round of 16.
#3 Trent Alexander-Arnold - Liverpool
Achraf Hakimi had a fantastic 2021 for Inter Milan, and that's one of the primary reasons he is the right-back of the IFFHS World XI. However, Trent Alexander-Arnold can stake a solid claim based on his consistency and performance.
One should not forget the terrible state Liverpool's defense was in during the 2020-21 season with significant injuries to all their main centre-backs. Yet Alexander-Arnold did as much as he could to address the situation.
Trent Alexander-Arnold made 45 appearances in all competitions last campaign. He made 11 goal contributions, but that was a bit underwhelming considering Alexander-Arnold's contributions in previous seasons.
However, with so many injuries, he had to concentrate more on his defensive responsibilities to ensure that the substitute defenders did not commit harakiri. Sadly, Liverpool were knocked out of the Champions League prematurely and had to forego the Premier League.
#2 Edouard Mendy - Chelsea
It's pretty hard to fathom the fact that Edouard Mendy didn't win the Yachine trophy at the Ballon d'Or ceremony or even receive a Ballon d'Or nomination. Mendy isn't a member of the IFFHS World XI either, which is quite unbelievable.
Chelsea had a season to remember as what began in shockingly poor fashion ended in a UEFA Champions League triumph. Thomas Tuchel may have been the messiah, but Mendy played an absolutely vital role in goal.
Out of the 44 appearances Mendy had for Chelsea in the 2020-21 season, he kept 25 clean sheets. The stats get even better in the Champions League alone, where he kept nine clean sheets in the 12 appearances he made.
There were times when Mendy was a massive influence on Chelsea's triumphs. Gianluigi Donnarumma may have had a stunning season as well, but it is a widespread belief that Mendy is a far more deserving candidate.
#1 Mohamed Salah - Liverpool
IFFHS has opted for a 4-3-3 formation for their World XI, with Cristiano Ronaldo on the right-wing. There is no denying that the Portuguese had a great season at an individual level, but Mohamed Salah should have been a natural pick in that position.
Liverpool were heavily handicapped in the previous campaign with many injuries to their centre-backs. In their absence, Salah led from the front to ensure that Liverpool would be able to make up for their leaky defense by scoring more goals.
In 51 appearances, Salah scored an incredible 31 goals, made six assists, and was the primary reason why Liverpool ultimately managed to qualify for Europe. However, the lack of silverware seemingly hurt his chances and this is something he would want to change this season.
