The 33-year-old defender won the vote by 52 journalists organised by France Football magazine.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann appear among the 55 nominees for the FIFPro 2016 World 11 released on Friday but England forward Wayne Rooney failed to make the shortlist for the first time. Portugal captain Ronaldo, led his country to victory at Euro 2016, while France forward Griezmann was the top player at the tournament. It is the first time that 25-year-old Griezmann has made the cut, but England captain Rooney is absent for the first time in the competition's 12-year history, after England crashed out of Euro 2016 to lowly Iceland.
Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon is expected to favour a move to AC Milan rather than Arsenal.
Italy were clinical in their approach as they beat Belgium 2-0 in their Euro 2016 Group E encounter on Monday.
Juventus coach Marcello Lippi will field a largely second-string side for Tuesday's re-arranged Champions League Group D match against Turkey's Galatasaray in Dortmund.
Italy and Switzerland shared a scrappy 1-1 draw in a warm-up match before the World Cup
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So, who in your opinion, dear readers, is your favourite to win the prestigious prize at the ceremony in Zurich on January 12? Take your pick and vote now!
When Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri was greeted with a hail of eggs and spat at on his first day at work he could not have imagined he would lead them to the brink of an unprecedented treble of titles in his first season.
Dutch squad penpix ahead of the European Championship semi-final against hosts Portugal.
Rediff.com presents a flashback of those moments at Euro 2016 that personify pure ecstasy...
"This was one of the reasons why I took this opportunity. To train with all these personalities and this talent."
Dani Alves appeared to have won the game for Juventus when he headed them in front in the 83rd minute but Remo Freuler pounced to equalise six minutes later as he punished some sloppy defending.
Italy manager Antonio Conte named his provisional squad for the European Championship on Monday, and his selection was notable as much for the player he left off as for those he chose.
Italy's preparations have been hampered by suspensions and injuries that could see six first-team players missing.
Cristiano Ronaldo was awarded the Ballon d'Or for world player of the year on Thursday for a joint-record fifth time, going level with eternal rival and Barcelona forward Lionel Messi as the player to have won the prize the most times.
Javier Hernandez's late strike kept Real Madrid on course for a record-extending 11th European Cup crown with a 1-0 win over 10-man Atletico Madrid in a tense quarter-final at the Bernebau on Wednesday.
Italy forward Graziano Pelle has been kicked out of the national squad over his angry reaction to being substituted against Spain when he refused a handshake from coach Giampiero Ventura.
Italian champions Juventus missed the chance to join leaders AC Milan at the top of Serie A after suffering their first league defeat of the season on Sunday.
Leaders Juventus were denied a 16th successive Serie A win when they were held 0-0 at Bologna in a game marred when an object, possibly a firecracker, was hurled at their team bus as they arrived.
IMAGES from the UEFA Champions League last 16 first leg matches played across Europe on Tuesday
Juventus striker Carlos Tevez struck to give the Serie A champions a 1-0 win over AC Milan on Saturday, handing coach Massimiliano Allegri a winning return to San Siro where he was shown the door eight months ago.
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Napoli ended Juventus's hopes of securing a record seventh Italian Super Cup after snatching a dramatic 6-5 shootout win.
Anthony Martial went from villain to hero as his second-half equaliser earned Manchester United a deserved point in a 1-1 draw against CSKA Moscow in Champions League Group B on Wednesday.
Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri complained about his team's finishing after the Serie A leaders were held to a goalless draw at Fiorentina.
The Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tevez double act struck again on Sunday with both players scoring to give Juventus a 2-0 win at AC Milan which strengthened their grip on Serie A.
Juventus held off a remarkable Inter Milan comeback by winning their Italian Cup tie 5-3 on penalties on Wednesday after a 3-3 draw on aggregate to set up a final against AC Milan.
Manchester City advanced to the Champions League quarter-finals despite suffering their first home loss in over a year, going through 5-2 on aggregate after a 2-1 defeat by Swiss champions Basel on Wednesday.
Carlos Tevez ended his Champions League goal drought with both goals to give Juventus a 2-0 win over stubborn debutants Malmo in Group A on Tuesday.
Croatia, helped by a mistake by veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, held Italy to a 1-1 away draw on Sunday, but their evening was ruined by their fans who twice interrupted play by throwing flares onto the pitch.
Italy's famously demanding coach Antonio Conte is not letting up at his players even after they made sure of a place in the round of 16, and top spot in their group at Euro 2016, with one match to spare. Midfielder Marco Parolo told reporters on Sunday that Conte, whose halftime tirades are part of Italian football folklore, was still hammering away at his squad and keeping them on their toes. Italy, who are considered dark horses rather than one of the favourites to win the tournament, face Ireland in Group E in Lille on Wednesday, having already beaten Belgium and Sweden without conceding a goal.
Midfielder Riccardo Montolivo missed out on his second straight major tournament due to injury on Tuesday while Daniele De Rossi was included in Italy's 23-man squad for next month's European Championship in France.
India, hosting its first ever FIFA tournament in the U-17 World Cup, will set the record of having the farthest distance between two venues in the event's history.
Spain strolled to a 4-1 win at home to Israel, while Italy survived some first-half scares on the way to a 2-0 win and Ukraine registered a 1-0 home win over Ukraine in an action-packed game.
Paulo Dybala upstaged his fellow Argentine Lionel Messi by scoring two exquisitely taken goals to set Juventus on the way to an emphatic 3-0 win over an underwhelming Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday.
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Italy midfielder Alessandro Florenzi believes they can prove the doubters wrong again in Friday's Euro 2016 clash with Sweden in Toulouse.
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