Ghana's Michael Essien has been included on the 55-man shortlist for the FIFA/FIFPro World XI 2010.

The worldwide players’ union FIFPro and FIFA today announced the 55 players shortlisted for the FIFA/FIPro World XI 2010 which is to be revealed at the FIFA Ballon d’Or gala in Zurich on 10 January 2011.

Essien is in the running for the accolade after 50,000 professional footballers belonging to the players’ unions across the world that form FIFPro received voting forms in a secret ballot to nominate their peers for inclusion in their World XI – choosing the best four defenders, three midfielders, three forwards and goalkeeper of 2010.

World champions Spain lead the way with the most players in the shortlist with ten, followed by nine from Brazil, eight from Argentina, six from England, four from Germany, three each from the Netherlands and Italy, two from Portugal and one each from Uruguay, Wales, France, Bulgaria, Serbia, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Ghana, the Ivory Coast and Cameroon.