The International Federation of Professional Football Players (FIFPro) yesterday released a list of 55 names as its nominees that includes 9 Barcelona players, who will be voted on by over 50,000 professional football players from around the world as this year’s ‘World XI’.

For the first time this year, FIFPro and FIFA have joined forces to honour the best eleven players of the year with the first ‘FIFA/FIFPro World XI’ award that will be presented at the ‘2009 FIFA World Player Gala’ to be held in Zurich, Switzerland on December 21.

As usual FIFA will present its own awards (separate from FIFPro) to the best male and female player of the year chosen by national team coaches and captains.

From 2005 to 2008, FIFPro has organised its own ‘FIFPro World XI Player’ award gala while FIFA has organised its ‘FIFA World Player Gala’ since 1991.

“It is perfect that through the cooperation with FIFA we can honour these winners on the biggest stage of all, the ‘FIFA World Player Gala’,” FIFPro president Gerrardo Movilla said.

As is the case with past FIFPro events, the player with the most votes in the ‘World XI’ balloting will also be named ‘FIFPro World Player of the Year’.

The 9 Barcelona players who made the short-list are,

Defenders – Daniel Alves, Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol

Midfielders – Andres Iniesta, Yaya Toure and Xavi Hernandez

Forwards – Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Lionel Messi

For reference, the list of ‘FIFPro World XI 2008’ were Goalkeeper Iker Casillas; Defenders Sergio Ramos, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry and Carles Puyol; Midfielders Xavi Hernandez, Steven Gerrard and Ricardo Kaka; Forwards Lionel Messi, Fernando Torres and Cristiano Ronaldo. Cristiano Ronaldo was also named as ‘FIFPro World Player of the Year 2008’.

This year’s complete short-list is as follows,

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (ITA/Juventus), Iker Casillas (ESP/Real Madrid), Julio Cesar (BRA/Inter), José Manuel Reina (ESP/Liverpool), Edwin van der Sar (NLD/Manchester United)

Defenders: Fabio Cannavaro (ITA/Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (ITA/Juventus), Gaël Clichy (FRA/Arsenal), Ashley Cole (ENG/Chelsea), Patrice Evra (FRA/Manchester United), Rio Ferdinand (ENG/Manchester United), Fabio Grosso (ITA/Juventus), Glen Johnson (ENG/Liverpool), Philipp Lahm (GER/Bayern Munich), Ferreira Lucio (BRA/Inter), Maicon Douglas Sisenando (BRA/Inter), Alessandro Nesta (ITA/Milan), Képler Laveran Lima Ferreira ‘Pepe’ (POR/Real Madrid), Sergio Ramos (ESP/Real Madrid), Walter Samuel (ARG/Inter), John Terry (ENG/Chelsea), Nemanja Vidic (SER/Manchester United), Daniel Alves (BRA/Barcelona), Gerard Piqué (ESP/Barcelona), Carles Puyol (ESP/Barcelona).

Midfielders: Xabi Alonso (ESP/Real Madrid), Michael Ballack (GER/Chelsea), Daniele De Rossi (ITA/AS Roma), Diego Ribas da Cunha (BRA/Juventus), Michael Essien (GHA/Chelsea), Cesc Fabregas (ESP/Arsenal), Steven Gerrard (ENG/Liverpool), Ryan Giggs (WAL/Manchester United), Ricardo Kaká (BRA/Real Madrid), Frank Lampard (ENG/Chelsea), Andrea Pirlo (ITA/Milan), Franck Ribéry (FRA/Bayern Munich), Yaya Touré (CDM/Barcelona), Andrès Iniesta (ESP/Barcelona), Xavi (ESP/Barcelona).

Forwards: Nicolas Anelka (FRA/Chelsea), Andrei Arshavin (RUS/Arsenal), Karim Benzema (FRA/Real Madrid), Didier Drogba (CDM/Chelsea), Samuel Eto’o (CAM/Inter), Luís Fabiano Clemente (BRA/Sevilla), Diego Milito (ARG/Inter), Alexandre Pato (BRA/AC Milan), Cristiano Ronaldo (POR/Real Madrid), Wayne Rooney (ENG/Manchester United), Fernando Torres (ESP/Liverpool), David Villa (ESP/Valencia), Thierry Henry (FRA/Barcelona), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (SWE/Barcelona), Lionel Messi (ARG/Barcelona).