UEFA Reveal 40-Man Team of the Year Shortlist Including Stars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

It’s been a busy day at UEFA HQ in Switzerland as they have revealed their 40-man shortlist for the 2016 Team of the Year. Portugal have a strong influence with Rui Patricio and Raphael Guerrero included in the goalkeepers and defenders, while Welsh players Joe Allen, Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale have also made the list. Allen and Ramsey are among 12 Premier League players on the shortlist with Champions League winners Real Madrid being the most represented club. In total there are four goalkeepers, 12 defenders, 12 midfielders and 12 forwards. Fans can vote for the ‘Team of the Year’ on UEFA’s website until January 3, 2017.

The 40-Man Shortlist

Goalkeepers
Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus)
Keylor Navas (Real Madrid)
Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid)
Rui Patricio (Sporting Lisbon)

Defenders
Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham Hostspur)
Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich)
Leonardo Bonnuci (Juventus)
Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid)
Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid)
Raphael Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund)
Juanfran (Atletico Madrid)
Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)
Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal)
Pepe (Real Madrid)
Gerard Pique (Barcelona)
Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)

Midfielders
Joe Allen (Stoke)
Kevin De Bruyne (Man City)
Yannick Carrasco (Atletico Madrid)
Andres Iniesta (Barcelona)
N’Golo Kante (Chelsea)
Toni Kroos (Real Madrid)
Grzegorz Krychowiak (PSG)
Riyad Mahrez (Leicester)
Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
Dimitri Payet (West Ham)
Paul Pogba (Man Utd)
Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal)

Forwards
Sergio Aguero (Man City)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund)
Gareth Bale (Real Madrid)
Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid)
Gonzalo Higuain (Juventus)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Man Utd)
Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Neymar (Barcelona)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal)
Luis Suarez (Barcelona)