Voting starts for UEFA.com Fans’ Team of the Year

042 - Fifty players nominated for the 17th edition of the annual vote

Football supporters across the globe can start voting today for the UEFA.com Fans’ Team of the Year 2017. Fifty of Europe’s elite players have been nominated for the 17th edition of the annual vote, with users asked to pick their team in their preferred formation from five goalkeepers, 15 defenders, 15 midfielders and 15 forwards.

The nominees were chosen by the UEFA.com editorial team including seasoned reporters and expert correspondents on the basis of players’ performances for a European club or national team in UEFA competitions in the 2017 calendar year. Voting on UEFA.com started on Wednesday and runs until Tuesday 9 January, with the final line-up to be announced on Thursday 11 January.

UEFA Champions League winners Real Madrid CF provide an impressive 11 nominees including current UEFA Men's Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo, who is on the shortlist for a record 14th time. UEFA Champions League runners-up Juventus provide five players, while there are four players present from the UEFA Europa League winners Manchester United FC. A total of 14 clubs appear on the shortlist (including cases where players have represented two in 2017), while 20 nationalities are represented. In all, 18 of the 50 hopefuls are nominated for the first time.

Last year, Real Madrid CF captain Sergio Ramos topped the poll with 488,908 individual votes and was selected in 75% of fans’ teams. In recognition of this feat, Ramos presented a €100,000 cheque on behalf of UEFA to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The UEFA.com Fans’ Team of the Year donation.

The UEFA.com fans’ Team of the Year donation is part of UEFA’s partnership with the ICRC and supports ICRC's rehabilitation programme for landmine victims in Afghanistan. Through treatments, prosthetics and football, patients get back into shape and back to life. Being part of the centre’s football team especially helps players to reconnect with the community, make friends and rebuild their identity and self-esteem. UEFA’s relationship with the ICRC dates back to 1997, when European football’s governing body pledged its support for the ICRC’s anti-landmine campaign.

The UEFA.com Fans’ Team of the Year is picked by fans and therefore does not bear the official UEFA imprimatur. However, it has proved hugely popular with fans since its inception, with more than seven million votes cast last year alone.

For full details of the nominees and to place your vote, visit UEFA.com. 
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