FIFA and FIFPro have joined forces to honour the best 11 players of the year with the FIFA/FIFPro World XI award, which will be presented for the first time at the 2009 FIFA World Player Gala on December 21 at the Kongresshaus in Zurich.

“FIFA is delighted to join the association of professional football players FIFPro in order to pay tribute to the best footballers of the year in each position,” FIFA president Sepp Blatter told the official FIFA website. “We will be happy to welcome the top players, as chosen by their peers, at the FIFA World Player Gala in Zurich.

“The election of the FIFA/FIFPro World XI is extremely well appreciated by the players, because it’s their own colleagues who are voting for them,” added FIFPro president Gerardo Movilla.

“As no other they know what you have to do and what you have to miss to reach the top as a professional footballer. It is perfect that through the cooperation with FIFA we can now honour these winners on the biggest stage of all at the FIFA World Player Gala.”

The FIFA/FIFPro World XI is chosen by over 50,000 professional football players from all over the world, who have voted for the best player in each position. From 2005-2008, FIFPro organised its own World XI player award, with the same selection system.