Ballon d'Or winner Harry Kane snubbed, Lionel Messi included in FIFPRO team of the year

Harry Kane's 2026 Ballon d'Or triumph was not enough to earn him a place in the FIFPRO Men's World 11. Lionel Messi returned for an 18th selection, while Lamine Yamal made history with his second appearance as a teenager.

In Short

• Ballon d'Or winner Harry Kane misses out on the FIFPRO Men's World XI
• Lionel Messi returns to the team for a record-extending 18th time
• Lamine Yamal becomes the first teenager to earn two World 11 selections

Harry Kane was among the biggest names to miss out on selection for the FIFPRO Men's World 11, despite winning the 2026 Ballon d'Or. Jude Bellingham, Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal were among the high-profile players named in the team.

Kane, who received the Ballon d'Or on October 26, had been included on the shortlist for the prestigious World 11. However, the Bayern Munich striker failed to secure enough votes to earn a place in the final selection. A total of 19,806 professional footballers from 73 countries took part in the voting.

Kane's Bayern teammate Michael Olise and last year's Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele were also left out. Messi, meanwhile, made a return to the World 11 after three years away from the team. The Argentina captain has now been selected for the 18th time, extending his remarkable record.

Yamal also made history by becoming the first teenager to earn a second selection in the team. The Barcelona and Spain forward finished third in the 2026 Ballon d'Or rankings. Mbappe, who came second behind Kane in the Ballon d'Or race, was included in the forward line alongside Haaland, Messi and Yamal.

Bellingham was named in midfield with Barcelona's Rodri and Paris Saint-Germain's Vitinha. Rodri had finished fourth in the Ballon d'Or standings, while Vitinha also earned recognition for his performances with the French club.

Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi joined PSG duo Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes in the backline, while Arsenal and Spain goalkeeper David Raya was selected between the posts.

Kane was not the only prominent name overlooked. PSG winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Dembele, who finished sixth and seventh respectively in the Ballon d'Or voting, also failed to make the final team.

FIFPRO MEN'S TEAM OF THE YEAR

Goalkeeper
David Raya (Arsenal, Spain)

Defenders
Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona, Spain)
Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain, Morocco)
Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal)

Midfielders
Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid/England)
Rodri (Manchester City/Barcelona, Spain)
Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal)

Forwards
Erling Haaland (Manchester City, Norway)
Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid, France)
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, Argentina)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain)

- Ends