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FIFA 23 unveiled the TOTY XI a few hours ago based on votes from fans. The promo features a few old faces as well as some up-and-rising stars. Unfortunately, a lot of footballers have played excellently over the last 12 months but aren't featured in this Team of the Year squad.
The TOTY promo has been a staple of the FIFA franchise. Fans desperately wait every year for EA to reveal the final XI, wanting to play as their favorite footballers who are level above the rest. Sadly, this year's Team of the Year XI might leave them disappointed. Here is a list of five footballers who missed didn't make the FIFA 23 TOTY promo.
5 top-performing footballers who did not make the final XI of the FIFA 23 TOTY squad
1) Erling Haaland
Erling Haaland has made an impact in almost every game he's played. He was the summer signing for Manchester City during the 2022-23 season and has scored 22 goals in just 18 matches with the team, making him the only player on this list to have a more-than-one-goal ratio per game.
Haaland became the quickest player in Premier League history to score three hat-tricks and achieved that feat in just eight games. He has also registered five goals in four matches in the UEFA Champions League with the team, leading them to victory multiple times. Many fans voted for him and believe his absence at the World Cup is what cost him the spot.
2) Joško Gvardiol
Joško Gvardiol performed exceptionally well during the World Cup and was one of the reasons Croatia reached the semi-finals. He secured the defense and maintained his authority over the penalty area by kicking the ball away from the opposition's feet at vital moments.
He also scored his debut goal in the third-place match against Morocco with a stunning header. Furthermore, he has performed exceptionally well for his club RB Leipzig and is one of the key reasons that squad is in the top four of the league table. However, he's been excluded from the TOTY XI promo.
3) Casemiro
Casemiro is currently regarded as one of the best CDMs of the current era, and he proved that after joining Manchester United, quickly adapting to their tactics and formation. He also left his former team, Real Madrid, as a UEFA Champions League winner.
The five-time Champions League winner has played 16 matches in the Premier League, scoring two goals and three assists so far. He also registered the winning goal in the dying minutes of normal time against Switzerland to confirm their spot in the World Cup round of 16.
4) Dayot Upamecano
Dayot Upamecano had an excellent World Cup campaign. The Frenchman played five matches and did not make any errors while defending the goal for his country. He dove into tackles, pushed towards the opposition's goal, and became a key component for his team during the World Cup.
However, he did not see a good start when he joined Bayern Munich last season but has redeemed himself in this one by playing at a much higher level for the European giants. He has also helped them reach the top of the Bundesliga table. Some believe that Upamecano should have found a place in the TOTY squad after such a wonderful campaign for his club and country this season.
5) Sadio Mané
Sadio Mané is currently one of the most popular wingers who can play in different attacking positions. He led Senegal to the first-ever AFCON trophy by defeating the most successful team in the history of the cup, Egypt. He also guided Senegal into the World Cup and helped them qualify till the round of 16.
The Senegalese player has one Socrates Award and was declared the African Player of the Year twice as well. Moreover, he has been a runner-up in the Balon D'or standings. He was involved in nine goals for Bayern Munich, providing six goals and three assists while playing out of position in most matches.
After presenting such an excellent performance for his club and country, it is quite unfortunate that Mané did not find his spot in the TOTY XI.
