GENEVA
The goalkeeper shortlist for "World XI 2014" made by FIFA and the International Federation of Professional Footballers has been announced on Monday.
Last year’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer who plays for Germany's Bayern Munich, Real Madrid veteran Iker Casillas, who won the award five years in a row between 2008 and 2012 and Juventus regular Gianluigi Buffon who won the World XI goalkeeper awards in 2006 and 2007 are in the list put together by FIFA, world's football governing body.
In addition to the stagers above, the promising goalkeeper of Chelsea, Thibaut Courtois from Belgium and Barcelona's Chilean goalie Claudio Bravo, are all on the list for the first time.
Fans are able to vote on the association website FIFA.com until December 1.
The starting 11 of the year will be unveiled in the Ballon d'Or Gala, to be held in Zurich, Switzerland on Jan.12.
Winners of the awards such as Women's World Player of the Year, World Coach of the Year for Women's Football, Ballon d'Or, World Coach of the Year for Men's Football and the Puskas Award -- awarded for the best goal of the year -- will be revealed during the Gala.
The FIFA FIFPro World XI is decided by the players, for the players. It involves votes from tens of thousands professional footballers worldwide. They select one goalkeeper, four defenders, three midfielders and three forwards.The shortlists for defenders, midfielders and forwards will be announced and published on the association website FIFA.com on 26 November, 28 November and 1 December respectively, according to a statement on the association website.
The goalkeeper shortlist is as follows:
Manuel Neuer - Germany (Bayern Munich)
Claudio Bravo - Chile (Barcelona)
Thibaut Courtois - Belgium (Chelsea)
Iker Casillas - Spain (Real Madrid)
Gianluigi Buffon - Italy (Juventus)
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