ZURICH — Spain has six midfielders from its European Championship-winning team competing for selection in a FIFPro World XI. FIFA said Barcelona quartet Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez, Cesc Fabregas and Sergio Busquets, plus Xabi Alonso of Real Madrid and Manchester City's David Silva are among 15 candidates for three midfield places. Italy playmaker Andrea Pirlo (Juventus), and German pair Mesut Oezil (Madrid) and Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich) are also nominated. England has Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) and Frank Lampard (Chelsea). Lampard's Belgian teammate, Eden Hazard, is also included. The other nominees are: Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast, Man City), Luka Modric (Croatia, Madrid) and Franck Ribery (France, Bayern). The FIFPro World XI, chosen by 50,000 members of the global players' union, will be announced Jan. 7 at the FIFA Ballon D'Or gala in Zurich. Messi back on top Lionel Messi moved back to the top of the AP Global Football rankings, and Barcelona stayed No. 1 in the team poll after a 4-0 win over Levante in the Spanish league. Messi earned 183 out of a possible 200 points from the Associated Press' panel of 20 global football journalists. Last week's winner, Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, was second. Ibrahimovic topped the previous poll mainly for his four goals for Sweden against England. Barcelona was voted the top club of the week after stretching its lead to three points over Atletico Madrid and 11 points over third-place Real Madrid. Ibrahimovic garnered 124 points, while another Barcelona player, Andres Iniesta, leapt into third place with 119. Several panelists thought Philippe Mexes' overhead kick in AC Milan's 3-1 Champions League victory at Anderlecht was even better than Ibrahimovic's dramatic goal against England a week earlier. Mexes' efforts brought him into sixth place. With Barcelona seemingly glued into the top team position, Bayern and Dortmund were second and third in the AP poll, with no English team in the top five for the first time since the survey began. Barcelona had 176 points, well ahead of Bayern with 129 and Dortmund with 105. Real Madrid, which lost to Real Betis Sunday, plunged to 24th. — Agencies
