Johannesburg – As the EA Sports unleashed Fifa 2022’s final Starting XI, football fans were startled with the released squad for Fifa Team of the Year (TOYT), after big names were not mentioned in the world’s best.
While some of the world’s biggest stars will be gracing the FIFA TOYT, as they had their names on the list, for others can only watch their rivals compete in the world’s number sports game brought by EA Sports.
🏆 Football's best, decided by you.
This is your #TOTY. pic.twitter.com/eyK03VbFgh— EA SPORTS FIFA (@EASPORTSFIFA) January 20, 2022
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo has been left out of the Fifa TOYT, which now makes it the third-time since he has featured in the list.
He last appeared in the TOYT promo back in 2020, and not being featured for 2022, will be for the second year in a row without Manchester United’s talisman.
According to experts, this can be attributed to Ronaldo, having a trophless season for his club and country last year, despite scoring 39 goals in 50 starts for club and country in 2021.
Moreover, Ronaldo came in the sixth position during last year’s Fifa Ballon d’Or, booted out of the top three.
He failed to out best his long-standing rival, Lionel Messi who walked away as on top of the helm at the FIFA Ballon d’Or.
Amongst other football stars that were sidelined in the Starting XI, it is Chelsea’s goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, who recently won Best Fifa Men’s Goalkeeper award.
He became the first African to win the Mendy claimed the 2021 recognition, beating Gianluigi Donnarumma and Manuel Neuer to the prize.
However, football fans were astonished, as he was dominated by Donnarumma, who hold his head high after a tenth-place finish in the FIFA Ballon d’Or.
Liverpool striker Mohammed Salah, was also amongst a list of stars that didn’t make it into the Starting XI.
Salah’s place in the middle of the park, was scooped by his counterpart in the English Premier League, N’Golo Kanté who netted over 22 goals last season.
EA Sports Fifa 22 team of the year (TOYT):
Goalkeeper
Gianluigi Donnarumma – Paris Saint-Germain
Defenders
João Cancelo – Manchester City
Rúben Dias – Manchester City
Marquinhos – Paris Saint-Germain
Achraf Hakimi – Paris Saint-Germain
Midfielders
Kevin De Bruyne – Manchester City
Jorginho – Chelsea
N’Golo Kanté – Chelsea
Attackers
Kylian Mbappé – Paris Saint-Germain
Robert Lewandowski – Bayern Munich
Lionel Messi – Paris Saint-Germain
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