Top 11 stars of the year: Messi and Mbappe are in the FIFPRO squad, but Kane is missing
The International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPRO) has officially announced the symbolic team of the year 2026 based on the official voting results of thousands of professional football players worldwide.
The announced lineup sparked heated debate and astonishment in the football community. The biggest sensation was the omission of the 2026 Ballon d'Or winner Harry Kane and Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo from the squad.
Unexpected decisions and major absences
The main events that caught the attention of millions of fans and experts in selecting the team of the year:
No room for the Ballon d'Or winner: Harry Kane, who won the top individual award of the year, failed to make the top 11 according to the final choice of his peers;
A symbolic team without Ronaldo: Cristiano Ronaldo, who has continued to break goalscoring records in recent years, also failed to secure a spot among the top three forwards based on the number of votes;
Messi is still at the top: Lionel Messi, playing for the American club "Inter Miami", retained his place in the global vote and secured a spot in the attacking trio.
FIFPRO — 2026: Full squad of the symbolic team of the year
The 11 best football players in the world were arranged in a 3-4-3 tactical formation:
Line / Position | Player | Club | Status / Recognition |
Goalkeeper | David Raya | "Arsenal" | The most reliable goalkeeper of the year |
Defender | Achraf Hakimi | "PSG" | Leading right-back defender |
Defender | Pau Cubarsi | "Barcelona" | Golden Boy award winner and defensive pillar |
Defender | Nuno Mendes | "PSG" | The most active left-back representative |
Midfielder | Vitinha | "PSG" | Precision and game control in the center |
Midfielder | Rodri | "Barcelona" | General of the midfield |
Midfielder | Jude Bellingham | "Real Madrid" | Creativity in attacking midfield |
Midfielder | Lamine Yamal | "Barcelona" | Master of speed and dribbling on the wing |
Forward | Erling Haaland | "Manchester City" | Goal machine and central forward |
Forward | Kylian Mbappe | "Real Madrid" | Leading star of the attacking line |
Forward | Lionel Messi | "Inter Miami" | Legendary leadership and consistent skill |
Absolute dominance of "Barcelona" and "PSG"
In the announced team, France's "PSG" club (3 players) and Catalonia's "Barcelona" club (3 players) had the most representatives. Such a balance in the midfield and attack clearly demonstrated that the role of fast flanks and young talents is growing stronger in modern football.
Comments 0
…