FC BARCELONA

Piqué, Iniesta, Xavi, Messi and Alves were named to the 2011 FIFA FIFPro World XI. FC Barcelona, with five players, is the highest represented team in FIFA's ideal team.

FC Barcelona players make up the majority of FIFA’s ideal team for 2011 with five representatives. Of the 11 nominated Barça players the following 5 players were named to the FIFA / FIFPro World XI: Piqué, Iniesta, Xavi, Messi and Alves. It’s yet another homage to Barça’s dominance in world football. Last year, with six Barça players named to the team, Barça was the highest represented team in the FIFA / FIFPro World XI

This isn’t the first time the five Azulgranas have been named to FIFA’s ideal team. Messi is the only Barça player that has figured in the last five editions of the FIFA / FIFPro World XI (2007 through 2011). Xavi has been named four times to the team (2008 through 2011), it’s Iniesta’s third time (2009 through 2011) and the second time for both Alves (2009 and 2011) and Piqué (2010 and 2011).

Piqué: “This is an unrepeatable generation”

Gerard Piqué said that his ambition is to be “the best player, work hard and to continue winning titles.” FC Barcelona’s number 3 said that the Barça chances of continuing its title winning ways are “very good because this is an unrepeatable generation of footballers.”

Since 2009, FIFA and FIFPro have combined the FIFA / FIFPro World XI to recognize the best 11 footballers of the year. This elite squad is chosen by over 50,000 professional footballers that belong to football unions world wide. These same footballers are also responsible for nominating and voting, via secret ballot, for the best suited players for the team. (via FCBarcelona.cat)

The FIFA / FIFPro World XI team is as follows:

Goalkeeper: Casillas (Madrid)
Defenders: Alves (Barça), Piqué (Barça), Sergio Ramos (Madrid), Vidic (United)
Midfielders: Iniesta (Barça), Xabi Alonso (Madrid), Xavi (Barça)
Forwards: Messi (Barça), Ronaldo (Madrid), Rooney (United)

There are Barça players fighting for the Ballon D’Or, the Puskas Prize and a place in the FIFPro World XI today. In addition, Guardiola is in the running for the Manager of the Year Award.

FC Barcelona could well come away with the lion's share of the prizes at the FIFA gala in the Kongresshaus in Zurich. Messi and Xavi are in the running for the Ballon D'Or alongside Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, but the two will not be on their own at the awards, with the Club providing candidates for all the other main prizes at the event, which begins at 19.00.

Manager of the Year

Pep Guardiola is one of three candidates, alongside Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Fergusson, for the Manager of the Year Award, just a week after been named the IFFHS Coach of 2011.

Goal against Arsenal set for Puskas prize

Leo Messi is up for not just the Player of the Year Award, but also for the best goal of the year for his strike against Arsenal in the Champions League game at the Camp Nou. In that competition he is up against goals from Santos star Neymar and Manchester United's Wayne Rooney.

11 Barça players up for World XI

There are also 11 Barça players in line for a place in the 2011 FIFPro World XI -Valdés, Alves, Puyol, Piqué, Abidal, Sergio Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Cesc Fàbregas, Messi and Villa – with the Club providing more players than any other for the award. (via FCBarcelona.cat)