FIFA Team Of The Year: 11 Overlooked Players Who Deserved Inclusion

9. David Alaba (Bayern Munich & Austria)

While the FIFPro team's choice of left back, Bayern Munich's Philipp Lahm has undoubtedly been one of the key players in the Bavarian club's incredibly successful year, a year that has seen them win virtually everything, part of what has worked so well has been the 30 year old's switch to a central midfield role. Meanwhile, young Austrian utility player David Alaba discovering left back as his best position has been one of 2013's biggest success stories. Alaba was one of the clear stars of Bayern's Champions League win this year. The Quarter-Final saw the 20 year old score one of the fastest goals in Champions League history, putting Bayern ahead against Juventus in just 25 seconds. In the semi, Alaba's superb link up play with Franck Ribery down the wing tore Barcelona apart. Alaba set up goals in both legs of Bayern's 7-0 aggregate win. Picking up his third consecutive Austrian Player of the Year award in 2013, despite his young age Alaba's exceptional performances for the national team pushed them to just three points off play-off qualifiers Sweden. Despite playing most of the campaign at left back, Alaba was Austria's top scorer for the qualifiers with six goals, five scored in 2013. Despite not making the FIFPro Team of the Year, Alaba was selected in UEFA's Team of 2013, an almost equivalent honour given that the entire FIFPro shortlist currently play in Europe.