"Thank you guys for voting me in the FIFPRO World 11," David Raya said after being named in the team of the year. That was the recognition he did not get in the Ballon d’Or conversation, and it came from the clearest possible source, fellow professionals. The vote involved 19,806 men’s players worldwide.
Arsenal’s place in the XI
Raya became only the second Arsenal player to make the FIFPRO World 11 since it launched in 2005. Thierry Henry was named in the side in 2006, which keeps this honour rare even for a club with a long history of individual awards.
Raya also finished second in the Yashin Trophy vote, his best career finish in that award. That gives this selection a bit more bite, because it follows a year in which he was already being pushed towards the top end of the goalkeeper discussion.
Arsenal’s wider season helps explain why the recognition landed so naturally. They are top of the Premier League after 10 games with 27 points, and third in the Champions League standings with 10 points. Raya’s Premier League rating of 6.81 is a season-level marker rather than a headline in itself, but it sits inside a campaign that has kept him visible at the sharp end.
The key point is simple enough: the Ballon d’Or did not deliver the nod, but other players did. Raya now has a place in the FIFPRO World 11, and Arsenal have their second representative in the team after Henry.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
