The official FIFPRO Men’s World 11 for 2025 has been announced — a prestigious lineup chosen by the players themselves to recognize the best performers of the season. The star-studded XI is led by Ousmane Dembele, Lamine Yamal, and Kylian Mbappe, though the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi leaves a strange and nostalgic feeling among fans.
FIFPRO revealed the official team, and while there aren’t many surprises, the lineup reflects the dominance of a new generation taking center stage. The chosen eleven are: Gianluigi Donnarumma; Achraf Hakimi, Virgil van Dijk, Nuno Mendes ; Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Pedri, Vitinha; Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe, and Ousmane Dembele.
There isn’t much to argue about regarding the players selected — they were undeniably the best performers of last season. Opinions may differ on who deserved a spot more, but there’s no real case for anyone being undeserving of inclusion.
This year’s lineup showcases a remarkable mix: Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele, Golden Boot winner Kylian Mbappe, and Young Player of the Year Lamine Yamal, alongside a blend of FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Champions League champions. It’s a true dream team in every sense.
The last time Messi and Ronaldo were part of the FIFPRO World XI
The last time Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were selected together for the FIFA FIFPRO World XI — the team voted by thousands of professional players around the world — was in 2019. That moment marked the end of an era of dominance, as both had been near-permanent fixtures in the team for over a decade.
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After 2019, their paths in this award began to diverge, signaling the early stages of a generational shift in world soccer. In 2020, only Cristiano Ronaldo made the World XI, while Messi missed out. The following year, in 2021, it was Messi’s turn to return to the lineup without Ronaldo.
That pattern continued. In 2022, Messi was again the only one included, an honor he repeated in 2023 thanks largely to his unforgettable performance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. During those years, Ronaldo, though still productive and prolific, didn’t receive enough votes from his peers to return to the elite lineup, ending his long-standing streak.
Finally, in the most recent FIFPRO World XI for 2024, the generational change was fully confirmed: neither Messi nor Ronaldo made the team. The attacking spots went to new global stars such as Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, and Vinicius Jr., officially closing a two-decade chapter in which at least one of the two legends almost always featured among the world’s best.
