Four Premier League stars have made L’Equipe’s Team of the Year as just two Ligue 1 players featured in the outlet’s best XI.
Virgil Van Dijk joined Liverpool pair Kevin de Bruyne and Kyle Walker in the team, while new Manchester United recruit Casemiro also features, though more for his accomplishments with Real Madrid last season than his impact on the Red Devils this campaign.
He is joined by three of his former teammates, with Thibaut Courtois, Luka Modric and Karim Benzema all also in the team for their La Liga and Champions League double last season.
The Frenchman also scooped the Ballon D’or in November after scoring 44 goals in 45 games for Los Blancos in 2021/22, but he missed the World Cup through injury and has since announced his retirement from the national setup.
Perhaps soon-to-be Real Madrid defender Josko Gvardiol has also been included, after a series of good performances in the World Cup further elevated his profile on the international stage after some excellent outings at club level for RB Leipzig.
Frenchman Theo Hernandez is the sole Serie A representative, with the defender making the side ahead of the likes of Joao Cancelo, Andy Robertson and Ferland Mendy after his title win in Italy with the Rossoneri last season.
The side is rounded out with PSG pair Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, with the duo putting on the best World Cup final in the competition’s history to cement their spots. Mbappe scored the first hat-trick in the final since 1966, but ended up on the losing side as Messi scored twice and inspired a narrow win via a penalty shoot-out to crown his glittering career.
It means that there is no spot for Cristiano Ronaldo, who was Manchester United’s top goalscorer last season, while Mohamed Salah, Robert Lewandowski, Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland have all also been overlooked.
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