Messi, Ronaldo Among 26 FIFPRO World XI Finalists

Lionel Messi (38) and Cristiano Ronaldo (40) were named among the 26 finalists for the 2025 FIFPRO Men’s World 11, joining nominees such as Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé and Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal. Paris Saint-Germain lead the shortlist with seven nominees, while Real Madrid and Barcelona also have multiple representatives and Vinícius Jr. was a notable omission. Messi and Ronaldo are the only finalists based outside Europe — Messi with Inter Miami, where he enjoyed MLS success and helped Argentina qualify for the 2026 World Cup, and Ronaldo with Al-Nassr, who also helped Portugal win the Nations League. More than 20,000 professional footballers voted on performances from July 15, 2024 to August 3, 2025 to produce the 26-man shortlist. The final World 11 — one goalkeeper, three defenders, three midfielders, three forwards plus the highest overall vote-getter — will be announced on Nov. 3. Messi has a record 17 previous World 11 appearances and Ronaldo has 15 prior selections.