Messi Voted to World XI by Players Again as Spain Dominates Men’s and Women’s Lineups
Barcelona supplied six players as professional footballers worldwide chose the ideal elevens, with Lionel Messi earning a record 18th selection.
- FIFPRO revealed the 2026 World11, an award decided by 19,806 professional players, notably excluding Bayern Munich talisman Harry Kane—the first Ballon d'Or winner to miss the team since the award's inception in 2005.
- Voters selected the squad via a digital platform based exclusively on performances between Aug. 4, 2025 and the World Cup final on July 19, 2026, prioritizing peer recognition over journalist-voted awards like the Ballon d'Or.
- Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya earned his spot after an imperious Premier League title run, joined by Paris Saint-Germain pair Nuno Mendes and Achraf Hakimi and Barcelona's Pau Cubarsí completing the defensive line.
- Barcelona's Pau Cubarsí secured his place following a standout 2026 World Cup, where he expertly marshaled a defense that conceded only once, having previously outperformed Lamine Yamal to win the Kopa Trophy.
- Beaten nominees like Bruno Fernandes, Enzo Fernández, and Vitinha narrowly missed the final selection despite strong club campaigns, illustrating the competitive depth of elite professional football.
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101 Articles
Lionel Messi shares front with Lamine Yamal, Mbappé and Haaland; Harry Kane and Cristiano Ronaldo, the absent.
Harry Kane has won this year's Ballon d'Or, but surprisingly he has not been included in the ideal formation of the 2025/26 season, selected by the footballers themselves through a vote by the FIFPRO organization. Footballers from 73 different countries participated in the vote, while Lionel Messi has been selected for the 18th time in his career in the best formation of the year, setting a new record. The Argentine returns to this eleven after …
Ckpg Today
Messi voted to World XI by players again as Spain dominates men’s and women’s lineups
GENEVA (AP) — Lionel Messi’s peers gave him one more appearance in the FIFPRO World XI lineup Monday after nearly 20,000 players voted for their best team in a poll organized by the global union. At age 39, the Argentina icon was elected to the team as...
Unbelievable, but true: In the "Team of the Year" there is no place for the world's best footballer: balloon d'Or winner Harry Kane is surprisingly missing in the World11 of the global player union (Fifpro).
Rocky Mountain Outlook
Messi voted to World XI by players again as Spain dominates men's and women's lineups
GENEVA (AP) — Lionel Messi’s peers gave him one more appearance in the FIFPRO World XI lineup Monday after nearly 20,000 players voted for their best team in a poll organized by the global union.
Ballon d'Or winner Harry Kane has been surprisingly left out of the FIFPRO ideal squad for 2025/26. Lionel Messi has been included for a record 18th time, and the team also includes four Spanish world champions.
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