FIFA 21 TOTY (Team Of The Year): Bruno Fernandes in, Messi out

News
By
published

Ronaldo, Mbappe and Lewandowski form the frontline of the FIFA 21 TOTY

FIFA 21
(Image credit: EA)

EA has announced the FIFA 21 TOTY (Team Of The Year), and it’s an historic one: for the first time since Ultimate Team’s inception in FIFA 09, Lionel Messi misses out on a spot in the elite eleven.

The Barcelona star looked all set to leave the Nou Camp last summer, and the brouhaha surrounding his future made as many headlines as his performances on the pitch. In contrast, Bayern’s Robert Lewandowski smashed numerous Bundesliga goalscoring records, while Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe continued to deliver match-winning turns for Juventus (er, Piemonte Calcio) and PSG respectively. That’s the front three which edges Messi out of FIFA 21 TOTY honours. 

FIFA 21

(Image credit: EA)

Elsewhere, English champions Liverpool supply half-of the FIFA 21 TOTY backline. Right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold and centre-back Virgil van Dijk are joined by Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos in the middle, and Lewa’s club-mate Alphonso Davies at left-back. Following their Champions League triumph, two further Bayern players make the side: Manuel Neuer in goal, and Joshua Kimmich in centre-midfield.

The team is rounded out by two Manchester midfield imports: City talisman Kevin de Bruyne, and United maestro Bruno Fernandes. 

The FIFA 21 TOTY was selected by a fan vote incorporating a shortlist of 70 players, for which 10 million votes were cast.

Full ratings for the FIFA 21 TOTY are yet to be confirmed as I write this, with cards being drip-fed into packs from Friday 22 January onwards. The first three released were that fantabulous front trio. Ronaldo and Lewandowski earn OVRs of 98, while Mbappe scores a 97. 

To recap, the full FIFA 21 TOTY is as follows: 

  • GK: Manuel Neuer (FC Bayern)
  • RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
  • CB: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
  • CB: Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)
  • LB: Alphonso Davies (FC Bayern)
  • CM: Joshua Kimmich (FC Bayern)
  • CM: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)
  • CM: Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
  • RW: Kylian Mbappe (Paris SG)
  • LW: Cristiano Ronaldo (Piemonte Calcio)
  • ST: Robert Lewandowski (FC Bayern)

FIFA 21 review | FIFA 21 tips | FIFA 21 patch notes |  FIFA 21 Ultimate Team | FIFA 21 Volta | FIFA 21 best teams | FIFA 21 best young players | FIFA 21 Career Mode guide | FIFA 21 ratings | FIFA 21 women ratings | FIFA 21 icons | FIFA 21 OTW cards | FIFA 21 coins | FIFA 21 celebrations | FIFA 21 kits | FIFA 21 player faces | FIFA 21 stadiums | FIFA 21 chemistry styles | FIFA 21 Juventus | FIFA 21 web app guide | FIFA 21 loyalty glitch

See more Xbox Series X News
Ben Wilson
Ben Wilson

I'm GamesRadar's sports editor, and obsessed with NFL, WWE, MLB, AEW, and occasionally things that don't have a three-letter acronym – such as Chvrches, Bill Bryson, and Streets Of Rage 4. (All the Streets Of Rage games, actually.) Even after three decades I still have a soft spot for Euro Boss on the Amstrad CPC 464+.

Latest in Sports
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 screenshot showing three skaters performing tricks in mid-air
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 could be making a major change to Pro Skater 4, with the apparent removal of free-roaming in favor of "streamlined goals"
WWE 2K25
WWE 2K25 DLC guide to all Season Pass wrestlers
Image of the box art for Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 on the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S with an orange GamesRadar background.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 pre-orders include Doom Slayer and an actual full-sized skateboard
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 launches this July with new parks for "for the first time in 10 years," and you can pre-order to get a demo in June
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 and 2
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 rumors have just been upgraded from podcast mentions and Call of Duty map teasers to a full countdown on the official Activision website
FC 25
FC 25 FUT Fantasy FC tracker and February promo guide
Latest in News
The Witcher 4 screenshot with Ciri using sword and sorcery to fight an ancient monster
The Witcher 4 devs explain how Ciri's fighting style will differ from Geralt's: "He's nimble, but he feels like a block...she's liquid"
Challenging The Manacle in Balatro, which limits hand size by -1 and playing two Jacks
From "I stopped working on the project entirely" to "we are so back," Balatro creator says the roguelike's development was always about passion and taking breaks was essential
InZOI screenshot from creation studio demo which depicts a shockingly realistic character model rendered in Unreal Engine 5
The director behind The Sims competitor InZOI spent 20 years making MMOs, but he ditched the massive RPGs after playing life sims with his son
Demon Slayer season 4 episode 2
True to the anime, Stardew Valley's hottest mod adds two romanceable Demon Slayer dudes who are both "rude and standoffish" at first
A group of Men wearing armour during the TV show, Vikings.
Vikings creator is heading back to his Norse roots with this new historical drama on Amazon
Balatro screenshot showing an assortment of joker cards
Balatro creator intentionally avoided roguelikes but did eventually play and "steal from" Slay the Spire anyway: "Holy s***. Now that is a game"
More about sports
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 screenshot showing three skaters performing tricks in mid-air

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 could be making a major change to Pro Skater 4, with the apparent removal of free-roaming in favor of "streamlined goals"
WWE 2K25

WWE 2K25 DLC guide to all Season Pass wrestlers
Clicker and Ellie

The Last of Us season 2 trailer brings the heart and the horror back to Joel and Ellie

See more latest
Most Popular
Clicker and Ellie
The Last of Us season 2 trailer brings the heart and the horror back to Joel and Ellie
Challenging The Manacle in Balatro, which limits hand size by -1 and playing two Jacks
From "I stopped working on the project entirely" to "we are so back," Balatro creator says the roguelike's development was always about passion and taking breaks was essential
The Witcher 4 screenshot with Ciri using sword and sorcery to fight an ancient monster
The Witcher 4 devs explain how Ciri's fighting style will differ from Geralt's: "He's nimble, but he feels like a block...she's liquid"
Demon Slayer season 4 episode 2
True to the anime, Stardew Valley's hottest mod adds two romanceable Demon Slayer dudes who are both "rude and standoffish" at first
InZOI screenshot from creation studio demo which depicts a shockingly realistic character model rendered in Unreal Engine 5
The director behind The Sims competitor InZOI spent 20 years making MMOs, but he ditched the massive RPGs after playing life sims with his son
Helldivers 2 screenshot showing a fully geared/armored diver standing with gun in hand as three jets soar the skies behind him
Arrowhead reveals the Helldivers 2 ideas left on its cutting room floor, from 5-player squads to low-gravity planets and a whole new armor system
A group of Men wearing armour during the TV show, Vikings.
Vikings creator is heading back to his Norse roots with this new historical drama on Amazon
Balatro screenshot showing an assortment of joker cards
Balatro creator intentionally avoided roguelikes but did eventually play and "steal from" Slay the Spire anyway: "Holy s***. Now that is a game"
Batman and Catwoman talking
Robert Pattinson is hoping to team up with his The Batman co-star Zoe Kravitz on another project soon
Screenshot of Herdling, showing the weird yaks heading toward a sunset horizon.
With 18,000 glowing Steam reviews on their lovely debut game, this indie team's game about leading cute fantasy yaks up a mountain is instantly one to watch