Lionel Messi has returned to the FIFPRO Men's World 11 following the official announcement of the world team on Monday, extending his record with an incredible 18th career selection. The iconic forward, who currently plays his club football for Inter Miami, earned his place back in the global side for the first time since 2023. Selected through a global vote conducted among professional players from 73 countries, Messi's inclusion reaffirms his standing among his peers. However, the announcement was equally defined by a major surprise, as Ballon d'Or winner Harry Kane was omitted from the team despite his individual honors this year.
Messi's return to the FIFPRO Men's World 11 comes during a pivotal chapter in his career. The Argentine superstar formally announced his international retirement in August after helping Argentina reach the World Cup final. Since stepping back from the national team setup, he has focused on his club commitments with Inter Miami. That professional footballers across 73 countries still voted him into the ultimate eleven emphasizes the profound impact he continues to make on the pitch, even after closing his international chapter.
In stark contrast to Messi's record-extending inclusion, the absence of Harry Kane stands out as the most unexpected result of Monday's voting process. Despite securing the Ballon d'Or, the forward failed to gain enough votes from his fellow professionals to earn a spot in the FIFPRO Men's World 11. It's an outcome that demonstrates how the FIFPRO voting format—which relies entirely on ballots cast by professional players worldwide—can diverge from traditional individual award outcomes, leaving even a Ballon d'Or recipient outside the team.
Beyond the headlines surrounding Messi and Kane, Monday's FIFPRO announcement revealed significant trends regarding league and national representation across both the Men's and Women's World 11 lineups. Spanish football established a massive presence across both teams, claiming a heavy proportion of the available spots in both the Men's and Women's selections. The dominant showing by players from Spain stood in sharp contrast to the minimal presence of England's top flight.
In total, only two players from the Premier League managed to make the cut across the FIFPRO World 11 selections on Monday. For a league that frequently dominates global roster debates, having just two representatives across the Men's and Women's sides marks a notable shift in how international players cast their votes. Between Spain's overwhelming representation, the Premier League's limited inclusion, Kane's surprise omission, and Messi's 18th appearance, the latest FIFPRO teams present a definitive picture of how professional footballers around the world view the game's top talent today.
