- Lionel Messi has been omitted from the EA
Sports FIFA Team Of The Year for the first time. - The team was voted for by over 10 million fans from 185 countries.
- Messi missed out on a place in the front three to Robert Lewandowski, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Kylian Mbappe.
Lionel Messi has been dropped from the EA Sports FIFA Team Of The Year for the first time ever.
EA released the FIFA 21 Team of the Year results on Friday, which was voted for by over 10 million fans from 185 countries.
The
In goal, Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer was given the nod. The defense consists of former MLS star Alphonso Davies, Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos, and Liverpool duo Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester United playmaker Bruno Fernandes, and Bayern's Joshua Kimmich form a midfield trio to complete the line-up.
—EA SPORTS FIFA (@EASPORTSFIFA) January 22, 2021
Messi has been embroiled in a huge transfer saga over the last six months following his transfer request to Barcelona in August.
The 33-year-old handed in the request following Barca's 8-2 thrashing at Bayern Munich's hands in the Champions League quarterfinal. He backed away from leaving to avoid a legal battle with his boyhood club.
He is free to talk to other talks as of this month, with his contract at the Camp Nou set to expire this summer.
Despite troubles off the pitch, the Argentine has still produced the goods on it. In 45 games played for Barcelona during 2020, Messi scored 26 goals and produced 23 assists for his teammates.
There could yet be hope for him to make the FIFA Team of Year, though, with EA set to reveal the identity of a mystery "12th player" in the coming days.
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