Alex MacQuoid
The Fifpro World XI: A Global Football Honor
The Fifpro World XI stands as the only global football award voted for exclusively by professional players. This year, over 26,000 athletes from 68 countries cast their votes to select the best men’s and women’s teams based on performances from the previous season.
The award, which began in 2005 with a women’s equivalent launched in 2016, recognizes the top 26 players in each category. From these finalists, the 11 players with the most votes in their respective positions form the final World XI.
Record Holders
Lionel Messi leads the men’s category with 17 appearances, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo with 15. In the women’s game, Wendie Renard and Lucy Bronze share the record with seven selections each.
Announcement Schedule
The 26 finalists will be revealed on Monday, 27 October. The women’s XI will be announced at 13:00 GMT, followed by the men’s XI at 14:00 GMT.
The winners will be unveiled on Monday, 3 November, with the women’s XI at 12:00 GMT and the men’s XI at 14:00 GMT. All announcements will be made on Fifpro’s social media platforms.
Eligibility and Voting Process
Men’s players are selected based on their performances from 15 July 2024 to 3 August 2025, requiring at least 30 official matches. Women’s players are evaluated from 11 August 2024 to 3 August 2025, with a minimum of 20 official matches.
Professional footballers worldwide vote through a digital platform accessed via unique links distributed by Fifpro and affiliated unions. Players select the three most outstanding performers in each position: goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, and forwards. The top vote-getters in each category form the World XI, with the final spot awarded to the outfield player with the next highest votes.
2025 Finalists
Women’s World XI
- Goalkeeper: Mary Earps (Manchester United/Paris Saint-Germain, England)
- Defenders: Lucy Bronze (Barcelona/Chelsea, England), Olga Carmona (Real Madrid, Spain), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City, England)
- Midfielders: Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona, Spain), Alexia Putellas (Barcelona, Spain), Keira Walsh (Barcelona, England)
- Forwards: Barbra Banda (Shanghai Shengli/Orlando Pride, Zambia), Linda Caicedo (Real Madrid, Colombia), Lauren James (Chelsea, England), Marta (Orlando Pride, Brazil)
Men’s World XI
- Goalkeeper: Ederson (Manchester City, Brazil)
- Defenders: Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid, Spain), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool, Netherlands), Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid, Germany)
- Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid, England), Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City, Belgium), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid, Germany), Rodri (Manchester City, Spain)
- Forwards: Erling Haaland (Manchester City, Norway), Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain/Real Madrid, France), Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid, Brazil)