Egypt international Mohamed Salah and Nigeria international Asisat Oshoala have been snubbed in the voting for the 2021 FIFA FIFPRO Men and Women's World 11 team, featuring 23 players apiece.
The African duo are winners of the 2017 African Men's and Women's Player of the Year respectively and have both been in superb form for their respective clubs - Liverpool and Barcelona.
Salah has been in a breathtaking form so far this season, scoring 21 goals in 22 games across all competitions. Having scored in 10 consecutive games for Liverpool at the start of the campaign, the forward has been instrumental in his side's impressive form so far this season.
Also, Oshoala has been on superb run with Barcelona, scoring 18 league games in 18 starts during the 2019/2020 campaign as they celebrated a continental treble, winning the Uefa Women's Champions League. She followed up with 11 goals in seven starts in the ongoing season before her recent injury.
A statement from FIFA and FIFPRO confirmed how the process works, it read: “FIFPRO and FIFA proudly announce the 23 players who received the most votes for the 2021 FIFA FIFPRO Men's World 11, the only global player award organized by the players and for the players.
“FIFPRO and FIFA asked professional footballers worldwide to vote for the World 11. We requested them to pick the three players who, in their opinion, were the most outstanding players during the 2020/2021 season in the following positions: goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders and forwards.
“For the first time in 17 years, FIFPRO is updating the announcement about the most-voted players, reducing the shortlist from 55 to 23. This has been done to resemble a real-life“ squad ”which, usually for international competitions, is the number of players involved.
“The three goalkeepers, six defenders, six midfielders and six forwards with the most votes earned a place in the 23-men World 11“ squad ”. To complete this elite selection, the two remaining outfield players with the most votes were added. ”
