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Jordi Alba, Carles Puyol y Gerard Piqué of Barcelona and Sergio Ramos of Real Madrid feature in a list of 20 candidates to make up the defence in the FIFA FIFPro World XI of 2012.

The list released today by FIFA includes four other Liga BBVA players - Barcelona's Dani Alves and Javier Mascherano, and Madrid's Marcelo and Pepe. The other nominees are Gareth Bale (Tottenham), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), David Luiz (Chelsea), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), John Terry (Chelsea) and Thiago Silva (PSG).

The announcement of the World XI defence will be made at the Ballon d'Or gala, which will take place on the 7^th January 2013. Before the end of the year, FIFA will announce the rest of the 55-player pool from which the World XI will be selected. The goalkeepers were named today, 22 November along with the defenders. The 15 midfielders will be announced on 26 November and the 15 forwards on the 29^th.

FIFA FIFPro's World Eleven will be made up of one goalkeeper, four defenders, three midfielders and three forwards. FIFA FIFPro World XI 2011 was as follows: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Daniel Alves (Barcelona), Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United), Gerard Piqué (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), Xavi Hernández (Barcelona), Andrés Iniesta (Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Lionel Messi (Barcelona).