Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and England captain Harry Kane have been named among 26 players shortlisted for the 2026 FIFPRO Men’s World XI following a global voting exercise involving nearly 20,000 professional footballers.
The shortlist also features France captain Kylian Mbappe, Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, England midfielder Jude Bellingham and Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal.
A total of 19,806 professional footballers participated in the voting, selecting players they considered to have delivered outstanding performances during the assessment period.
Other notable nominees include Barcelona midfielders Rodri and Pedri, Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk.
Arsenal defenders Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba also made the list, alongside Barcelona’s Pau Cubarsi and Paris Saint-Germain defenders Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes.
Unlike several other individual football honours, the FIFPRO Men’s World XI is determined exclusively by votes from professional footballers rather than journalists, coaches or supporters.
The process allows players to recognise the performances of their colleagues across different positions, with the final team selected from the 26-man shortlist.
Messi and Ronaldo’s inclusion further underlines their continued presence among the game’s recognised stars, despite the emergence of a new generation of players.
Kane, Mbappe and Haaland also feature among the leading attacking names, while Yamal’s nomination highlights the growing recognition of young talents in world football.
The final World XI is expected to reflect the choices of players across the global football community, making the award a peer-selected recognition of excellence in the game.
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