26 players have been nominated for the FIFPro World XI, and 4 of them are French. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are among the nominees, which gives the shortlist the kind of star power FIFPro is used to attracting. Foot Mercato reported that the Champions League and the World Cup weighed heavily in the selection.
France and PSG stand out in the shortlist
The French presence is the clearest thread through the list. William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano, Kylian Mbappé and Michael Olise are among the 26 nominees, and the country is represented across different positions rather than in one narrow cluster.
Paris Saint Germain also have four players on the shortlist, with Nuno Mendes, Achraf Hakimi, Vitinha and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia included. That is a strong showing for one club in a 26-man list, and it fits the wider sense that PSG have been central to this year's nominations.
The positional split also tells its own story. There are 3 goalkeepers, 7 defenders, 7 midfielders and 8 forwards, with the attacking group the biggest block in the shortlist. Mbappé's place is easy to understand in that context, with 12 La Liga goals in 11 appearances, while Michael Olise's 6 Bundesliga goals and 3 assists add more weight to the French contingent.
The shortlist is only the nominee list, not the final World XI, but the shape of it is already clear. FIFPro will now move from 26 names to the final selection, with Messi, Ronaldo, France and PSG all firmly in the frame.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
