Ageless Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele and wonderkid Lamine Yamal on 26-man shortlist for FIFPRO World 11

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo continue to defy age and expectations after being named among the 26 finalists for the 2025 FIFPRO Men's World 11 on Monday. The Argentina and Portugal superstars have been rewarded for their efforts in 2024-25 by being included on the star-studded list alongside Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele and Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal.

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  Messi and Ronaldo the most decorated players in FIFPRO World 11 history

  Messi and Ronaldo are in contention to make yet another Men’s FIFPRO World 11 after being included among the list of nominees for the 2025 edition. Inter Miami forward Messi has featured in 17 previous iterations of the FIFPRO World 11 – more than any other player – while Al-Nassr striker Ronaldo has made the second most appearances with 15. The latest nominations are a testament to the longevity of both players, with Messi having turned 38 in June and Ronaldo set to turn 41 in less than four months’ time.

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• Argentina captain Messi nominated after receiving MLS Golden Boot

  With the FIFPRO World 11 taking into account performances between 15 July 2024 and 3 August 2025 inclusive, Messi has been nominated for his remarkable efforts for Argentina and Inter Miami in that period. The former Barcelona forward helped his country book their place at the 2026 World Cup in March, while he also received the 2025 Major League Soccer Golden Boot after scoring 29 goals in 28 regular-season matches for Inter Miami.

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  Portugal star Ronaldo on brink of joining Messi & Argentina at World Cup

  Meanwhile, Ronaldo scored an incredible 35 goals in 41 matches for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr in 2024-25, while he has also found the back of the net seven times in eight games this season. The ex-Real Madrid and Manchester United man is on the brink of joining Messi at the World Cup, with Portugal – who lead Group F on 10 points – poised to qualify for next summer’s tournament. The Selecao will directly qualify for the competition if they beat the Republic of Ireland in their next qualifier on 13 November, or if they avoid defeat and second-placed Hungary do not beat Armenia on the same day.

• The full list of nominees

  The 2025 FIFPRO World 11 finalists:

  Goalkeepers:

  Alisson Becker (Liverpool, Brazil)

  Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid, Belgium)

  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)

  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)

  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)

  Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain)