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

8. Raphael Varane (Real Madrid & France)

As with the choice of Lahm over Alaba, the FIFPro team's selection of Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos at centre back feels more like a selection based on general quality than one specific to performances this year. Ramos' team mate and defensive partner Raphael Varane, however, is a player who has emerged from being a promising youngster to a world class player almost completely in the last season and a half. Having really only played a handful of games for Real, the former Lens centre back started the Copa del Rey game against Barcelona at the start of the year and was completely unintimidated. After clearing a shot from Xavi off the line, Varane went on to score the Meringues' only goal of the game. From then on he became more and more of a fixture in the Real defence, keeping the highly regarded Pepe out of the team with a series of great performances, particularly in the Champions League. His performance in the Quarter-Final against Galatasary was especially impressive, utterly keeping Didier Drogba in check. Not only did Real keep a clean sheet, but every one of Varane's tackles was successful and every one of his passes found its man. His positional sense, technique and ability to read the game have had many at Real comparing him to club legend Fernando Hierro and suggesting that Varane could become one of the club's great players. Pro-Real newspaper Marca even named Varane in their best ever foreign players XI alongside the likes of Zidane, Di Stefano and Ronaldo.