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The only major award exclusively decided by fellow professionals has seen the FIFPRO World XI for 2026 crowned, ignoring Bayern Munich’s talismanic Harry Kane.
Taking into account votes from 19,806 soccer players registered in the global workers’ union, FIFPRO have revealed the lineup deemed to have enjoyed the best 2025–26 campaign according to their peers. While awards like the Ballon d’Or tend to skew toward forwards and are voted on by journalists, there is a broader spectrum to consider for the World XI.
Voters selected their top three goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders and forwards via a digital platform based exclusively on performances between Aug. 4, 2025 and the World Cup final on July 19, 2026. Alongside the most selected goalkeeper, the three defenders, midfielders and forwards with the highest tally of votes slotted into the XI. The final spot was taken by the most popular outfielder from any position.
As with any vote open to the masses, there is scope for a few surprises. Kane’s absence comes as a real shock—he represents the only Ballon d’Or winner to miss out on that year’s World XI since the award’s inception in 2005.
Intriguingly, there was no spot even on the shortlist for the freshly crowned Yashin Trophy winner at this year’s Ballon d’Or. It would appear that the globe’s professional soccer players understood that Spain’s defensive supremacy at the World Cup was not largely down to Unai Simón, who made just 10 saves in eight games.
Simón’s compatriot, David Raya, was instead honored after playing a staring role in Arsenal’s Premier League title.
Having been unfairly beaten out to the Kopa Trophy by Lamine Yamal, Barcelona’s unflappable Pau Cubarsí got his deserved recognition with this award. The teenage racked up more appearances (eight) than misplaced passes (seven) at the 2026 World Cup, expertly marshalling a defense which conceded just once across the entire competition.
Paris Saint-Germain’s fullback pairing of Nuno Mendes and Achraf Hakimi completed the three defensive spots, surpassing the Arsenal duo of William Saliba and Gabriel in the vote just as they had in the Champions League final.
“If you think I’m good, good,” Declan Rice recently told GQ. “If you think I’m s---, all right. But eventually I’ll prove you wrong.” The world’s soccer players still need to be convinced as they turned down Arsenal’s tireless midfielder for his compatriot, Jude Bellingham.
Rice probably wouldn’t begrudge his World Cup teammate, who scored a stunning seven goals in North America, and is openly in awe of another winner. “Rodri’s a monster,” he gushed of his former Premier League rival. “I’m a great admirer of him.” So is the rest of his professionals, it would seem, with Rodri’s understated role as the tempo-setter in Spain’s metronomic midfield getting the nod.
PSG’s Champions League winning central hub Vitinha rounded out the midfielders.
The 2026 FIFPRO Men’s #World11 ✨
— FIFPRO (@FIFPRO) November 9, 2026
Decided exclusively by 19,806 professional men’s footballers worldwide.
By the players, for the players 🏆 pic.twitter.com/MnHEMHxtf1
This is the biggest shock of the whole list. Kane is barely two weeks on from one of the greatest nights of his career, achieving the individual recognition every modern player craves, yet couldn’t convince his peers.
Bayern Munich’s relentless finisher and all-round creative hub outscored everyone else on the planet, yet still missed out on one of the four spots reserved for forwards. There was little surprise to see Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal on the winners list but the World Cup contributions of Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi ultimately superceded Kane.
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