FULL LIST: Ronaldo, Messi, Mbappe, Kane make 2026 FIFPRO World XI shortlist

Politics Spice Special Features Education Sex & Relationship Interview Columns Opinion Advertise with us FULL LIST: Ronaldo, Messi, Mbappe, Kane make 2026 FIFPRO World XI shortlist Sports November 2, 2026 5:31 pm L-R: Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

The full list of men’s and women’s FIFPRO World XI nominees has been released.

The list was revealed via a tweet by FIFPRO on Monday.

Featuring a star-studded list of footballers, the men’s category had past Ballon d’Or winners — Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Rodrigo Hernández (Rodri) — and recently awarded Englishman Harry Kane.

The women’s category also listed 26 players, including two three-time Ballon d’Or winners: Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí, alongside another 2018 winner, Ada Hegerberg.

The FIFPRO World XI is unique among major individual football awards because it is voted for exclusively by professional players, who select the team based on the performances of their peers.

Making the list in both categories are 26 players whose combination will culminate in a World XI, from goalkeepers to defenders, midfielders and attackers.

According to the award body, the men’s shortlist was decided by 19,806 professional men’s footballers worldwide, while the women’s was voted by 6,511 professional women’s footballers worldwide.

Below is a full list of the 2026 FIFPRO World XI nominees:

PUNCH Online reports that the 2025 FIFPro Men’s World 11 showcased elite footballers voted by their peers worldwide for outstanding performances over the past season.

According to a post obtained from FIFPro XI’s handle, more than 26,000 professional footballers from 68 countries took part in the voting process.

Players selected their best team based on performances between July 15, 2024, and August 3, 2025, with eligibility requiring a minimum of 30 official matches during the period.

Ajisafe is a multimedia journalist and digital copy editor with over four years experience

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