The 26-player shortlist for the 2025 FIFPRO Men's World 11 has been revealed, with football icons Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo headlining the nominees. Despite their veteran status, both players have been recognized for their outstanding performances over the past year.

The shortlist was determined by votes from players around the globe, highlighting the importance of peer recognition in the selection process. To be considered, players must have made at least 30 official appearances between July 15, 2024, and August 3, 2025.

The candidates for the World 11 are:

• Goalkeepers: Alisson Becker (Liverpool, Brazil), Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid, Belgium), and Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain / Manchester City, Italy).
• Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool / Real Madrid, England), Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona, Spain), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool, Netherlands), Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain, Morocco), Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain, Brazil), Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal), and William Saliba (Arsenal, France).
• Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid, England), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City / Napoli, Belgium), Luka Modric (Real Madrid / AC Milan, Croatia), Joao Neves (Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal), Cole Palmer (Chelsea, England), Pedri (Barcelona, Spain), Federico Valverde (Real Madrid, Uruguay), and Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal).
• Forwards: Ousmane Dembele (Paris Saint-Germain, France), Erling Haaland (Manchester City, Norway), Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid, France), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, Argentina), Raphinha (Barcelona, Brazil), Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr, Portugal), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, Egypt), and Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain).

Alongside Messi and Ronaldo, other notable nominees include Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele and Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal. The inclusion of both established stars and emerging talents underscores the blend of experience and potential within the beautiful game.

The final FIFPRO World 11 will be revealed on Monday, November 3, 2025. The goalkeeper, three defenders, three midfielders, and three forwards with the most votes will be selected. The remaining spot in the World 11 will be awarded to the highest-voted outfield player who was not already selected.

FIFPRO represents over 65,000 players worldwide, making the World 11 award a prestigious honor voted on exclusively by professional footballers. Over 26,000 footballers from 68 countries have participated in the voting process.