Ranking the 5 footballers who deserved a spot in the IFFHS Men's world team of the year

#3 Trent Alexander-Arnold - Liverpool

Trent Alexander-Arnold is one of the best right-backs in the Premier League right now.

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.

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#2 Edouard Mendy - Chelsea

Edouard Mendy is one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League right now.

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.

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#1 Mohamed Salah - Liverpool

Mohamed Salah is arguably the best player in the world right now.

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.