By Zuleihat Owuiye, Nigeria

Spain has strengthened its position as one of the leading forces in world football after four of its players were named in the 2026 FIFPro Men’s World XI.

Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya, Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsí, Manchester City midfielder Rodri Hernández and Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal were selected among the 11 outstanding players of the 2025/2026 season.

The selection was made through votes cast by professional footballers, who chose their preferred players based on performances during the campaign.

Spain’s strong representation follows its success at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, with the four players earning recognition for their contributions to the game.

The latest team also features three players from Paris Saint-Germain: Achraf Hakimi, Nuno Mendes and Vitinha. PSG previously enjoyed an even stronger presence in the selection, with five of its players making the team in the last edition.

Real Madrid also has two representatives, Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé, while Argentina captain Lionel Messi and Manchester City striker Erling Haaland complete the attacking options.

The full 2026 FIFPro Men’s World XI consists of David Raya in goal, with Achraf Hakimi, Pau Cubarsí and Nuno Mendes forming the defensive line.

Rodri, Vitinha and Bellingham occupy the midfield positions, while Messi, Yamal, Mbappé and Haaland lead the attack.

Raya emerged as the most popular player across all positions, receiving 51.9 per cent of the votes from participating footballers.

The Arsenal goalkeeper comfortably finished ahead of Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois, who received 38.6 per cent.

In the defensive category, Hakimi topped the voting with 40.9 per cent, while Cubarsí followed with 26.8 per cent to secure his place in the final selection.

Rodri led the midfield rankings after collecting 33.1 per cent of the votes. Bellingham came closely behind with 31.3 per cent.

Among the forwards, Mbappé received the highest percentage, attracting 46 per cent of the votes. Yamal followed with 37.4 per cent, while Messi secured 29.5 per cent and Haaland received 28.4 per cent.

The results meant that Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, despite receiving 27.6 per cent of the votes, narrowly missed out on a place in the final team.

One of the biggest talking points surrounding the announcement is Kane’s exclusion.

The Bayern Munich striker’s omission is particularly surprising because he is the latest Ballon d’Or winner. His absence also represents an unprecedented development in the history of the FIFPro World XI.

Since the award was introduced in 2005, the Ballon d’Or winner had always featured in the FIFPro team selected for that year.

Kane has therefore become the first player to win football’s prestigious individual award without subsequently securing a place in the corresponding FIFPro World XI.

The voting process involved 19,806 professional footballers from 73 countries.

Players were asked to assess performances recorded between August 4, 2025, and July 19, 2026. To qualify for consideration, footballers had to make at least 30 official appearances during the assessment period.

Spain’s four representatives have further increased the country’s record as the nation with the highest number of selections in the Men’s FIFPro World XI.

The latest recognition takes Spain’s total to 53 selections, shared among 17 different players.

Yamal has also achieved a remarkable personal milestone with his latest inclusion.

The Barcelona forward has become the first footballer in the history of the award to earn two FIFPro World XI selections before turning 20.

His achievement further highlights his rapid rise in international football and growing influence among the world’s top players.

With Raya, Cubarsí, Rodri and Yamal all included, Spain has once again demonstrated the quality of its football talent on the global stage.