Lionel Messi has been named in the 2026 FIFPRO Men's World 11 for a record 18th time, while Ballon d'Or winner Harry Kane and Cristiano Ronaldo both missed out on the team voted for exclusively by professional footballers.

The team was announced on Monday, 9 November 2026, after votes from 19,806 professional players around the world. The selection covers performances between August 2025 and July 2026, making it the only global football award decided entirely by the players themselves.

Messi's record 18th selection

Messi, 39, earns his first World 11 place since 2023 and extends his own record as the most-selected player in the award's history. The Inter Miami forward leads an attack also featuring Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Lamine Yamal.

Yamal, of Barcelona, became the first player to earn two World 11 selections before turning 20. The full team is: David Raya; Achraf Hakimi, Pau Cubarsi, Nuno Mendes; Jude Bellingham, Rodri, Vitinha; Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Lamine Yamal.

Kane and Ronaldo left out

The biggest talking point is the absence of Harry Kane. The Bayern Munich striker and England captain won the Ballon d'Or last month after a remarkable campaign for club and country, yet he did not secure enough votes from his fellow professionals. Kane received 27.6 per cent of the forward votes, finishing behind Haaland, Messi, Mbappe and Yamal.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who was also among the 26-man shortlist, missed out as well. Kane is reported to be the first men's Ballon d'Or winner since 2005 to miss out on the FIFPRO World 11 in the same calendar year.

What the players' vote says

The result is a reminder that the players' view of a season can differ sharply from the media-driven awards. Kane's goals won him the Ballon d'Or, but his peers spread their forward votes across four others, with Messi's enduring reputation and Yamal's rise proving decisive.

The rest of the team

Behind the headlines, the rest of the XI rewards consistency. David Raya takes the goalkeeper's place, while Achraf Hakimi, Pau Cubarsi and Nuno Mendes form the defence. In midfield, Jude Bellingham, Rodri and Vitinha were the players' picks, a trio that blends goals, control and experience at the highest level of the club game.

The shortlist of 26 names had been announced a fortnight earlier, with the final team revealed on FIFPRO's digital platforms. Because the vote is cast only by fellow professionals, selection is widely seen as a mark of respect from the dressing room rather than a media verdict, which makes the omissions of Kane and Ronaldo all the more striking.

For Messi, the selection adds another record to a career that continues to defy his age. For Kane and Ronaldo, the omission will sting, but both remain central to their clubs' seasons, and the debate over the snub is likely to run for some time.