With the shortlists now released, it is time to take a look at who could be making EA's TOTY. It is worth noting, that this predicted side is not who I personally feel should be the side, but instead what I expect it to be.
TOTY Predicted Starting XI
GK: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa) - 87 OVR -> 95 OVR:
With Alisson omitted from the shortlist, the keeper position is not as straightforward as expected. I think Martinez is the most familiar name here, and with the Argentine being first on the voting list, there is an additional factor in his favour. Premier League bias is also a strong factor here.
RB: Carvajal (Real Madrid) - 86 OVR -> 95 OVR:
In general, the majority of the votes lean towards a defensive structure, meaning more likely than not, we will see both a RB and an LB feature. The RB position is between Trent and Carvajal, and with no clear favourite in terms of usability, I have to go for the coveted Spaniard. Carvajal won it all last year and ranked high in the Ballon d'Or standings with a fourth-place finish.
CB: Virgil Van Dijk (Liverpool) - 89 OVR -> 97 OVR:
Van Dijk has been recognized as the best CB in the world for quite some time now, with the Dutchman a regular in these sides, having made the previous six. With Liverpool and Van Dijk still performing at a high level, I can't see that trend ending anytime soon. You only have to look at the likes of Ramos and Piqué to see how long these trends can continue.
CB: Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid) - 88 OVR -> 95 OVR:
I feel that this is the only defender's position up for debate, with the other three being practically locked in. Rüdiger is probably the player who deserves this the most, and with a strong card, he won't lose many votes either. There is a chance that Saliba sneaks in ahead of him, but with Madrid lifting the Champions League, I feel that Rüdiger will end up edging this one.
LB: Theo Hernandez (AC Milan) - 87 OVR -> 95 OVR:
While an argument for Grimaldo during Leverkusen's unbeaten season can be made, the LB position is seemingly a one-horse race. Hernández has featured in TOTY the previous two years and is a fan favourite for usability on the game. The Frenchman was nowhere to be seen in terms of the Ballon d'Or rankings, but you only have to look at the general vote to see that the percentage of sides he is included in is astronomical.
CM: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid) - 90 OVR -> 97 OVR:
Bellingham was a favourite to lift the Ballon d'Or for quite some time, and while his performances did tail off from the ridiculous standard he started at with Madrid, the Englishman has still been among the best players in the world, having a huge impact both domestically and internationally. Don't forget, Bellingham is still just 21 years of age. I would be shocked if he fails to win at least one Ballon d'Or in his career.
CDM: Rodri (Manchester City) - 91 OVR -> 98 OVR:
There are very few exceptions to the way this side is selected in terms of meta preference, but Rodri is one of them. The Spaniard ended up winning the Ballon d'Or, which guarantees him a spot in this side. After all, how can it be classed as a TOTY without the winner of the official award? That being said, his Centurion card already sits at just over 500k, so it's not like people won't use his card; just in terms of base stats, he is less in demand than others selected.
CAM: Cole Palmer (Chelsea) - 85 OVR -> 95 OVR:
While I am a firm believer that Palmer really shouldn't be near this side, the hype around him is undeniable, with his name in just about every headline this past year. The Premier League bias is huge in this selection process, and we saw it with a Fernandes inclusion not so long ago. This statistically falls into a similar category, but looking at the EA shortlist, I have to have Palmer as the favourite to steal this third midfielder spot.
LW: Vini Jr (Real Madrid) - 90 OVR -> 98 OVR:
There was huge controversy surrounding Vini failing to claim the Ballon d'Or, and while I think the eventual outcome was correct, I feel that EA will award the pair the same rating to avoid any more backlash surrounding that decision. It was Vini's performances in the CL that stood out, especially managing six goals and four assists, helping Madrid go on to lift the title, while also scoring 21 during their La Liga triumph.
ST: Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid) - 91 OVR -> 97 OVR:
While there is a strong debate over who should be the ST this year, with all three of Mbappe, Haaland, and Gyokeres making their own cases for inclusion, what is not up for debate is how popular Mbappe is as an option in the game. His gold card is the most valuable gold card by quite some distance, and that popularity in the game will give him a huge advantage over other options.
RW: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) - 89 OVR -> 97 OVR:
I can understand why many would want this position to go the way of Yamal, but recency bias takes a toll on these kinds of sides. Salah's performances during the first half of the current PL season have been phenomenal, and should he continue at this rate and Liverpool make a deep CL run, he will walk the Ballon d'Or voting next year. I would be surprised if the Egyptian fails to make the 12-man squad.
TOTY Predicted 12th Man
ST: Erling Haaland (Manchester City) - 91 OVR -> 97 OVR:
Historically, the 12th man has been awarded to a forward, and I see that being no different, with either Haaland or Gyokeres being the favorites for me. Once again, the league bias decides that decision for me, with Gyokeres just not being in a popular enough division to beat Haaland to the position. While Haaland's recent form has dipped, no matter who you ask to name the best strikers in the world currently, Haaland's name will be one of the first to be mentioned.
That concludes this years Team of the Year predictions! What do you make of these predictions? Is there anyone else who should have made the TOTY? Let us know below!