'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAX/2gAIAQEAAAAADb//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAE/9oACAECEAAAADf/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAG/9oACAEDEAAAAEf/xAAeEAACAgICAwAAAAAAAAAAAAACAwEEBREAEiIjkf/aAAgBAQABPwC5ihXksXVSIKFoMk/Ii3IxsvsFrh03JKVDSx/UJ6x7Wxz/xAAYEQACAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDIf/aAAgBAgEBPwCvXI//xAAbEQACAQUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMABBFBsv/aAAgBAwEBPwC7VVjiwNHo1//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#2 Romelu Lukaku
Romelu Lukaku, another former Serie A player who plies his trade in the Premier League now, has also been nominated for the FIFPRO World XI. Like Mohamed Salah, Lukaku also had a great 2020-21 season. However, the Egyptian has massively outperformed the Chelsea striker this season.
The former Inter Milan marksman scored 24 goals and recorded 11 assists in Serie A last season. His contribution to Inter’s Scudetto-winning campaign was a vital criterion for his nomination in FIFPRO World XI. But he hasn't been anywhere close to his last season's level.
Even if we give him some leeway due to his injury, Lukaku hasn’t found life easy upon his return to Stamford Bridge so far.
The €115 million signing has scored just three goals in 11 Premier League appearances for Chelsea. Salah has recorded 11 more goals and has nine more assists than Lukaku.
The Chelsea number 9 had a sensational time with Inter last season, but he could only manage a couple more goals than Salah’s 22 with Liverpool.
In all, Romelu Lukaku scored 18 goals and racked up nine assists in 38 league and continental matches in 2021. But his 27 goal contributions are dwarfed by Salah’s 44. Lukaku didn’t have a great Euro 2020 campaign with Belgium, either.
With all this in mind, Salah merits a place in the FIFPRO World XI ahead of Lukaku.
#1 Neymar Jr
Neymar Jr has made the FIFPRO World XI 23-man shortlist ahead of Mohamed Salah. The PSG star is yet to be directly involved in a Champions League goal this season. In 2021, he has a meager 18 goals and assists in Ligue 1 and the Champions League combined. Let alone Salah, but even the likes of Gabriel Jesus (24) and Raphinha (19) have higher goal contribution.
Neymar was destined to win Ligue 1 and Copa America this year, considering both PSG and Brazil were favorites for their respective titles. However, Lille pipped PSG to the Ligue 1 crown, and his PSG teammates Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria helped Argentina defeat Brazil in the Copa America final.
Neymar was impressive in Copa America. Unlike Ronaldo and Lukaku, the 29-year-old led Brazil to the tournament’s final. Although he scored two goals and assisted his teammates thrice in Copa America, that is certainly not enough to justify his place in the FIFPRO World XI ahead of Mohamed Salah.
Mohamed Salah is arguably the best player in the world at the moment. He has more goals and assists (23) in the ongoing Premier League season than what Neymar has managed for PSG in the entirety of 2021. Neymar’s inclusion ahead of Salah in the FIFPRO World XI shortlist cannot be justified.
