Fifteen strikers shortlisted for FIFA/FIFPro World XI 2012

Dani Alves and Gerard Pique of Barcelona, Nemanja Vidic of Manchester United, Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Lionel Messi of Barcelona and Wayne Rooney of Manchester United pose with their awards with Pele after being named in the FIFPro World XI during the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala 2011 at the Kongresshaus on January 09, 2012 in Zurich, Switzerland.

Fifteen forwards have been shortlisted for the FIFA FIFPro World XI 2012 as a part of the 55-player final shortlist yet to be revealed at a press conference in São Paulo on 29 November 2012. The award will be presented during the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala to be held on Monday, 7 January 2013.

The fifteen attackers who have received the most votes from all the professional football players in the world are:

• Sergio Agüero (Argentina, Manchester City)
• Mario Balotelli (Italy, Manchester City)
• Karim Benzema (France, Real Madrid)
• Edinson Cavani (Uruguay, AS Napoli)
• Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast, Shanghai Shenhua)
• Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon, Anzhi Makhachkala)
• Radamel Falcao (Colombia, Atletico Madrid)
• Mario Gomez (Germany, Bayern Munich)
• Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden, Paris Saint-Germain)
• Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona), Neymar (Brazil, Santos)
• Robin van Persie (The Netherlands, Manchester United)
• Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Real Madrid)
• Wayne Rooney (England, Manchester United)
• Luis Suarez (Uruguay, Liverpool).

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are without any doubt two of the three strikers after both of them had a brilliant campaign last season, specially since Messi plundered 50 goals and Ronaldo’s 46-goal haul in La Liga last season.

The competition for the third striker is fierce, with players like Sergio Agüero, Radamel Falcao, Didier Drogba, Mario Gomez, Karim Benzema, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robin van Persie in contention.