Some of the biggest names in world football are in the running for the 2026 FIFPRO World 11, with Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal among the nominees.
FIFPRO, the international union representing professional footballers, has announced that voting has concluded, with a total of 19,806 players from 75 countries taking part.
The list also features other major stars, including Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham, Vinícius Júnior, Pedri and Michael Olise, alongside several other leading figures in European and international football.
The final team will be selected exclusively through votes cast by professional footballers.
The men’s World 11 will consist of the best goalkeeper, three defenders, three midfielders and three forwards, along with one additional player who receives the highest number of votes, regardless of position.
Performances between August 4, 2025, and July 19, 2026, were taken into consideration. To qualify for nomination, male players had to make at least 30 appearances. In the women’s category, the minimum requirement was 20 appearances.
Interestingly, the list of nominees largely overlaps with the 30-player shortlist for the Ballon d’Or. However, five players were nominated for the FIFPRO World 11 but did not make the Ballon d’Or shortlist: Emiliano Martínez, Thibaut Courtois, Enzo Fernández, Virgil van Dijk and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The final teams in both the men’s and women’s categories will be announced on November 9 through FIFPRO’s official social media channels.
2026 FIFPRO Men’s World 11 Nominees
Goalkeepers:
- Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)
- Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa/Chelsea)
- David Raya (Arsenal)
Defenders:
- Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona)
- Marc Cucurella (Chelsea/Real Madrid)
- Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
- Gabriel (Arsenal)
- Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain)
- Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain)
- William Saliba (Arsenal)
- Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich)
Midfielders:
- Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
- Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
- Enzo Fernández (Chelsea/Manchester City)
- Pedri (Barcelona)
- Declan Rice (Arsenal)
- Rodri (Manchester City/Barcelona)
- Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain)
Forwards:
- Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
- Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)
- Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Paris Saint-Germain)
- Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid)
- Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
- Michael Olise (Bayern Munich)
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr)
- Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
