Real Madrid fans angry: players not nominated for FIFA 23 TOTY

The FIFA 23 Team of The Year (TOTY) is upon us, recognizing the 11 best players of the year as well as some honorable mentions on the pitch.   

Before the highly anticipated promo begins, fans can vote for the TOTY and the 12th Man. EA announced all 100 nominees for Team of the Year on January 9 and the fact that Cristiano Ronaldo is not among them has shocked many fans.

Furthermore, EA named seven Real Madrid players as candidates for the TOTY, but Madrid fans criticized the decision to exclude Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba.

Exclusion of two stars shocked fans

In 2022, Rudiger started 34 of Chelsea’s 38 games and helped lead the Blues to the quarter-finals of the Champions League. The world-class central defender joined Real Madrid in the summer and immediately caused a sensation. With a goal in the 95th minute against Shakhtar Donetsk, he led his new team to the group stage of the Champions League.

Alaba made 30 appearances for Real Madrid in 2022 and was instrumental in winning the Champions League, La Liga and Super Cup. The veteran defender was selected for the 2022 La Liga side and started all 16 games of the 2023 season.

A Reddit user posted a picture of the FIFA 23 TOTY nominees, and Real Madrid fans reacted. One fan replied in the comments: “Alaba was the clear number one for me in central defense last year. No World Cup hurts, but it can’t mean everything.”

EA prefers the Premier League

A second fan added: “They try so hard to put Premier League center-backs in. No Rudiger or Alaba is a disgrace.” Of the 13 center-backs nominated for the TOTY team, five came from the Premier League. Consequently, members of the community accused EA of being biased.

Real Madrid fans expressed their disappointment as a third user argued: “No Alaba? What a joke, I thought he was one of the TOTY center-backs for sure.”

Los Blancos fans still have plenty to cheer about with seven players up for grabs, but the absence of Rudiger and Alaba will certainly hurt. The fact that the Premier League seems to be favored again adds fuel to the debate Fifa players have been having for a long time because they feel the English league is EA’s favourite.

Image credit: Electronic Arts