Ruben Dias and Kevin De Bruyne have been rewarded for their fine form in 2021 with inclusions in the L'Equipe team of the year for 2021.
French publication L'Equipe is known for their harsh player ratings and strong criteria to be included in such 'teams of the year', and it seems that their choice for 2021 is no different.
Understandably, three Chelsea players feature after they won the Champions League, while three Frenchmen are picked as well as Marquinhos of Paris Saint-Germain.
However, there is no room for Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi, or scorer of 47 goals - as he'd have you reminded - Cristiano Ronaldo.
Instead, Karim Benzema of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski are picked upfront in an apparent 4-4-2 formation.
De Bruyne, who was a star as Manchester City raced to the Premier League title and a first-ever Champions League final in 2021, is picked in an all-Premier League midfield, although some pundits have questioned why he has made the XI after a slow start to 2021/22.
Euro 2020 winner Jorginho and his Chelsea midfield partner N'Golo Kante are picked as the two central players, while Mo Salah of Liverpool is an unsurprising pick on the right.
In defence, Trent Alexander-Arnold is picked in a decision that may confuse some City fans. The Liverpool right-back has been brilliant, but it was Kyle Walker who was the player in that position who won the Premier League, started in the Champions League final, and was a key part of England's run to the Euro 2020 final.
However, there is City representation with Ruben Dias chosen in defence alongside PSG's Marquinhos. AC Milan's France international Theo Hernandez completes the back four, with City's Joao Cancelo perhaps feeling aggrieved at being overlooked like Walker.
And while City fans may feel Ederson deserves recognition in goal, it's hard to argue that Eduoard Mendy of Chelsea isn't a fair pick to complete the line-up as goalkeeper.
L'Equipe team of 2021: Mendy (Chelsea); Hernandez (AC Milan), Marquinhos (PSG), Dias (Man City); De Bruyne (Man City), Jorginho (Cheslea), Kante (Chelsea), Salah (Liverpool); Benzema (Real Madrid), Lewandowski (Bayern Munich).
