Boruc is nominated for FIFPro World XI

The Pole is listed as one of the globe's five best goalkeepers and is in illustrious company with Gianluigu Buffon of Juventus, Iker Casillas of Real Madrid, Petr Cech of Chelsea and Edwin van der Sar of Manchester United.

Chelsea lead the way in England in nominations despite finishing runners-up to Manchester United in the Champions League and Premier League. They have eight players shortlisted – Cech, Ricardo Carvalho, Ashley Cole, John Terry, Michael Ballack, Michael Essien, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba. United have seven players nominated.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who weighed in with 42 goals last season, is joined by Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Carlos Tevez, Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra and Van der Sar.

Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Javier Mascherano comprise the Liverpool trio. Arsenal have two nominees – Gael Clichy and Cesc Fabregas – while Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc is also in the group of 55 players. The Premier League attracted the most nominees with 21, followed by the Spanish Primera Liga with 18. Kaka, who won the individual honour in season 2006-2007, is again among the nominees.

The final World XI and the FIFPro World Player of the Year will be announced on 27 October.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo and Barcelona forward Lionel Messi are the frontrunners to win this year's Ballon d'Or (Golden Ball), awarded by France Football magazine to Europe's top player. Ronaldo finished runner-up to AC Milan midfielder Kaka last year, while Messi was third.

Ballon d'Or nominees

Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal); Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid); Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg); Michael Ballack (Chelsea); Karim Benzema (Lyon); Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) Iker Casillas (Real Madrid); Didier Drogba (Chelsea); Samuel Eto'o (Barcelona); Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal); Steven Gerrard (Liverpool); Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter Milan); Kaka (AC Milan); Frank Lampard (Chelsea); Lionel Messi (Barcelona); Pepe (Real Madrid); Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid); Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich); Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United); Wayne Rooney (Manchester United); Marcos Senna (Villarreal); Luca Toni (Bayern Munich); Fernando Torres (Liverpool); Ruud van Nistelrooy (Real Madrid); Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United); Rafael van der Vaart (Hamburg and Real Madrid); Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United); David Villa (Valencia); Xavi (Barcelona); Yuri Zhirkov (CSKA Moscow).

FIFPro World XI Nominees

Goalkeepers: Boruc, Buffon, Casillas, Cech, van der Sar; Defenders: Alves, Bosingwa, Cannavaro, Carvalho, Clichy, A Cole, Evra, Ferdinand, Nesta, Lahm, Lucio, Maldini, Pepe, Puyol, Ramos, Terry, Vidic, Zambrotta, Zanetti, Zhirkov; Midfielders: Deco, Ballack, Essien, Gattuso, Fabregas, Gerrard, Iniesta, Kaka, Lampard, Mascherano, Pirlo, Ribery, Senna, Sneijder, Xavi; Forwards: Arshavin, Berbatov, Drogba, Eto'o, Henry, Ibrahimovic, Messi, van Nistelrooy, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez, Toni, Torres, Villa.