Yamal becomes youngest player to make FIFPro's team of year

HOOFDDORP, Netherlands (AP) — Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal became the youngest player ever to be included in FIFPRO’s team of the year, and five players from Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League-winning squad also made the selection announced by the global player’s union on Monday.

Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma — who has since moved from PSG to Manchester City — got the most votes with 13,609 from the more than 20,000 ballots that were sent in by players around the world, FIFPRO said.

The 18-year-old Yamal was second, with 10,167 votes for the Spain and Barcelona winger. FIFPRO has selected a Men’s World 11 for 20 years, and the previous youngest player to make the list was Kylian Mbappé, who was 19 when he was voted onto the team in 2018 after helping France win the World Cup.

Mbappé was included again this year for the sixth time and was joined by his Real Madrid teammate Jude Bellingham.

After helping PSG win its first Champions League title, Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé was joined by fullbacks Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes, midfielder Vitinha and Donnarumma on the FIFPRO list.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk also was picked, along with Cole Palmer of Chelsea and Pedri of Barcelona.

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FIFPRO Men’s World XI

Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain/Manchester City, Italy)

Defenders: Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain, Morocco); Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool, Netherlands); Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal)

Midfielders: Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal); Pedri (Barcelona, Spain); Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid, England); Cole Palmer (Chelsea, England)

Forwards: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain); Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid, France); Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain, France)

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