UEFA have revealed their 2014 Team of the Year with Cristiano Ronaldo making a record ninth appearance in the annual poll.
Ronaldo received the most votes 623,046 in a team that was dominated by the Bundesliga after five Bayern Munich players were selected. Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos and German World Champion midfielder Toni Kroos were the two other Madrid player among the UEFA’s 2014 Best XI. Bayern Munich who also have four current players in the team; goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, captain Philipp Lahm, left back David Alaba and winger Arjen Robben.
A record number of votes were cast in the poll (8.5 million compared to 2013’s 6.3 million), with UEFA.com staff writers picked the final XI from a shortlist of 40 players.
La Liga were the most represented league in terms of players, while the only Premier League player to have made it was Angel di Maria, whose joined Manchester United in the summer.
Ronaldo, Messi and Neuer are the three men on the short list for the Ballon d’Or award conducted by the world governing body FIFA. The winner is announced on Monday.
Kroos, meanwhile, was also picked as Germany Player of the Year in another poll conducted in Germany by the national team fan club, the German football federation DFB said.
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