Team of the Year 2024 Writer’s Picks; The Best XII in the Soccer World

Team of the Year (TOTY) is a prestigious award, given to the best twelve players of the calendar year. As a sports writer, I watched many unbelievable things, such as Bayer Leverkusen going undefeated, or Girona going on a miracle run, even Atlanta and Bologna had their fair share of fun. So with that said, here is my TOTY. GK: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa) Martinez was an underrated shot stopper, helping guide Aston Villa to fourth in the Premier League. Martinez had ninety five saves and eight clean sheets in arguably the most competitive league in Europe. Martinez also helped guide Argentina to their sixteenth Copa America title. In the tournament, Martinez kept five out of six possible clean sheets, hence being stuck in my GK role. LB: Josko Gvardiol (Manchester City) Gvardiol had a rocky start to the 23/24 Premier League, but under the guidance of master Pep Guardiola, he became a dual threat wingback, being able to both defend and attack incredibly. In the start of 24/25, he played superbly, scoring four already, as a left back! Some of his goals included that screamer against Wolverhampton Wanderers and his leaping header against Man United. At the age of twenty two, his potential is ridiculous, this isn’t the last time you’ll see him in a TOTY. CB: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) van Dijk is almost always included in this list. This may be because of his ability to strike fear into the hearts of the opposition while also leading his team from a captain role. Within nineteen matches, van Dijk has eight clean sheets, or a 42.1 clean sheet success rate, and this is only in the 24/25 season. The Dutch international also had a successful Euro campaign where he led his team to the semifinal, where the Oranje lost to second place England. CB: William Saliba (Arsenal) Saliba is a young super star from France. One of the most consistent young stars of our generation. He plays for Arsenal, who have finished second in the league back-to-back (22/23, 23/24), and part of this is because of the outstanding defensive work Saliba put in. Saliba has also become a key part of Arsenals’ set piece routine, always being a physical outlet, standing at a whopping 6 '4’’, towering above his opponents. RB: Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen) Frimpong blossomed under the management of Spaniard Xabi Alonso. Frimpong helped his team achieve fifty one games undefeated, only losing to Ademola Lookmans’ Atlanta in the Europa League final. Just like Gvardiol, Frimpong was a dual threat wing back, and this showed in the dying moments of every game. Frimpongs’ stamina was immaculate, chasing down every ball that dared enter the right side. CM: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid) Jude Bellingham was unstoppable at Madrid. All creative play went through him. His link ups with Vini Jr. and Joselu was impeccable. Bellingham was crucial in almost every goal, playing as a shadow striker. Bellingham’s start to the 24/25 season hasn’t been exactly where he wanted it, but every now and then he shows his future potential. He has still been absolutely impeccable, earning him a spot in my list. CM: Cole Palmer (Chelsea) “CITY’S BOY BECOMES CHELSEA’S MAN” Peter Drury said. That phrase haunts me to this day as a Manchester City fan. Palmer’s career has exploded ever since his plane landed in London. Palmer has become the dynamo in this Chelsea team. He brought them from midtable to possible conference league winners. His performances are consistent, which is the most important part of being a pro. In twenty five major matches of 24/25 and the Euros, Palmer bagged twenty one goal contributions, lighting up the scene as a 22 year old. CM: Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen) After a long time injured, Wirtz revived his career and lived up to his potential, all in one season. If the phrase “The sky’s the limit” was in the dictionary, it’d be right next to a picture of Wirtz. Wirtz was the leading playmaker for Leverkusen. Wirtz's ability to take the game by creativity and keep hold of it when it matters most helps show the composure of Wirtz. LW: Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid) The Ballon D’or runner up had to make this list. Scoring throughout the Champions League and La Liga, even bagging a goal in the final against Borussia Dortmund proves his elite level of play. His technical ability and bravery with the ball reminds me of a more shooting focused Ronaldinho. Vini Jr. linking up with Jude Bellingham scared even the strongest of defences, and for good reason too, his confidence, his passing, his vision, and his shots all make him undefendable. ST: Viktor Gyokeres (Sporting CP) The Swede transformed his career under manager Ruben Amorim. Gyokeres brought himself from a striker in Sweden’s top tier to 24/25 Ballon D’or contestant. His physicality and his ability to use both his feet equally well led Sporting to a finish in a Champions League spot. Gyokeres struck gold this season, finishing with sixty two goals in sixty three games. Amorim lit the fire, but now Viktor Gyokeres carries the torch. (for more on Viktor Gyokeres look at How a League Two Attacker Became the Most Prolific Striker In Europe). RW: Mohammed Salah (Liverpool) Salah has been Liverpool’s main man since 2017. He helped Liverpool achieve a Champions League in the 2018-2019 season. Salah is the main reason Liverpool are top of the league right now. At the end of the calendar year, Salah finished with twenty nine goals and twenty three assists. With twenty nine goals, he finished with eight less goals than Everton in 2024 (37). Salah also finished with more goal contributions than top players such as Harry Kane (50) and Kylian Mbappe (49). 12th Man: Phil Foden (Man City) Phil Foden stepped up during the Cityzens injury crisis with Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne both injured. He became City’s main player that season, scoring in big games, like the first leg against Real Madrid, or the final match day against West Ham. Foden hasn’t had an ideal start of 24/25, but his ability in 23/24 guided us to our fourth Premier League win in a row. Foden was and still is City’s star boy, and if Foden recovers from his poor form run, this won’t be that last we see of him in this list. Team of the Year is a hypothetical question, “How well would the best XII in the world this year do in a competition?” And the answer to that this year is: unstoppable. The defence is horrifying with Saliba, Virgil, Gvardiol, and Frimpong. The midfield is one of the best in attacking I’ve seen, and the attack is scary for every defender. Who’s in your TOTY?