Barca top World XI nominee list

CHELSEA lead the way in England in nominations for the FIFPro World XI Players Awards, just one behind Barcelona, despite neither side winning the Champions League.

The Londoners have eight players shortlisted – Petr Cech, Ricardo Carvalho, Ashley Cole, John Terry, Michael Ballack, Michael Essien, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba.

Manchester United have seven players nominated: Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Carlos Tevez, Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra and Edwin van der Sar.

The Liverpool trio of Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Javier Mascherano join the Arsenal pair, Gael Clichy and Cesc Fabregas. Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc is also among the 55 players. The Premier League attracted the most nominees with 21, followed by the Spanish Primera Liga with 18. The World XI and World Player of the Year will be named on October 27.

Goalkeepers: Boruc, Buffon, Casillas, Cech, van der Sar. Defenders: Alves, Bosingwa, Cannavaro, Carvalho, Clichy, A Cole, Evra, Ferdinand, Nesta, Lahm, Lucio, Maldini, Pepe, Puyol, Ramos, Terry, Vidic, Zambrotta, Zanetti, Zhirkov. Midfielders: Deco, Ballack, Essien, Gattuso, Fabregas, Gerrard, Iniesta, Kaka, Lampard, Mascherano, Pirlo, Ribery, Senna, Sneijder, Xavi. Forwards: Arshavin, Berbatov, Drogba, Eto’o, Henry, Ibrahimovic, Messi, van Nistelrooy, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez, Toni, Torres, Villa.