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Fifa World XI: There was no reason for Dani Alves to be included

By Matt English

PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 08: Neymar Jr and Dani Alves of Paris Saint-Germain pose with the Trophy after the victory over Les Herbiers VF during the Coupe de France Final between Les Herbiers VF and Paris Saint-Germain at Stade de France on May 8, 2018 in Paris, France. (Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 08: Neymar Jr and Dani Alves of Paris Saint-Germain pose with the Trophy after the victory over Les Herbiers VF during the Coupe de France Final between Les Herbiers VF and Paris Saint-Germain at Stade de France on May 8, 2018 in Paris, France. (Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images) /
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For some unknown reason, Dani Alves was named into the FIFA World XI.

Dani Alves is one of the most recognizable names when it comes to right sided fullbacks. His legacy with Barcelona put him on the map as a premier player with his consistent contributions going forward.

In the past, Alves was a regular in the World XI. The list is voted on by thousands of players in which the keeper, defenders, midfielders, and attackers with the most votes make the team.

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Alves has made the World XI eight times since the award was created back in 2005, which is the fifth most all time. The last two years now, though, have been a bit puzzling.

Dani Alves is no where near the skill level he was at when he wore the Barcelona kit. The 35 year old Brazilian is not nearly as dynamic and is certainly not one of the top fullbacks in the world.

The fact that he made the list over players like Joshua Kimmich, Kyle Walker, and Carvajal makes no sense. The three aforementioned players are all at the top of their game, with Kimmich in particular really revitalizing the role at his club Bayern Munich.

Since Phillip Lahm left, Kimmich has been able to exceed expectations by a large margin. His defensive qualities are top class while his abilities with the ball going forward are some of the best of any defender in the world.

Carvajal has also been at the top of his game for the past few seasons at Real Madrid. His three consecutive Champions League titles with Los Blancos are credit to that. The defensive side of Real has been just as important as the offense, and Carvajal is a crucial part of that.

This is not to say that Alves was unnecessary for PSG, it is just that Kimmich, Carvajal, and Walker were much more suited for the role in their respective teams.

Alves did not earn his spot in the World XI, and to include him over some other names that clearly deserved it more shows how broken the system is in choosing the finalists. At the end of the day, the award is a bit meaningless, but the principle of the matter still stands.

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Do you think Dani Alves should be in the World XI?

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