Harry Kane has become the first reigning Ballon d’Or winner to miss out on the FIFPRO Men’s World XI since the award was introduced in 2005.
Naija News reports that the 2026 team was announced on Monday following votes from 19,806 professional male footballers worldwide, with the Bayern Munich striker finishing fifth in the attackers’ category.
Kane received 27.6 per cent of the votes, ending a 21-year record in which every reigning Ballon d’Or winner had featured in the team.
Football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano drew attention to the unusual omission in a post on 𝕏 on Monday, November 9.
The decision came despite Kane’s outstanding 2025-2026 campaign with Bayern Munich. The England captain scored 61 goals in 51 appearances, helping the German side win the domestic league and cup double.
His overall tally, including international appearances, reached 73 goals before he claimed the Ballon d’Or at the 70th edition of the ceremony held at the London Palladium.
Kane also scored six goals at the World Cup, where England reached the semi-finals, before becoming the first Englishman to win the prestigious individual award since Michael Owen in 2001.
Kylian Mbappé led the attackers’ voting with 46 per cent, followed by Lamine Yamal with 37.4 per cent. Lionel Messi finished third with 29.5 per cent, while Erling Haaland secured fourth place with 28.4 per cent.
The omission is particularly notable because Messi featured in the 2020 FIFPRO World XI despite the coronavirus pandemic cancelling that year’s Ballon d’Or ceremony. He retained his status as the reigning winner from the previous edition.
Other notable players who missed the 2026 selection included goalkeepers Thibaut Courtois and Emiliano Martínez.
Defenders Virgil van Dijk, Gabriel Magalhães, William Saliba, Marc Cucurella and Dayot Upamecano were also overlooked.
In midfield, Bruno Fernandes, Enzo Fernández, Pedri and Declan Rice missed out, while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Michael Olise and Cristiano Ronaldo were absent from the attacking selection.
The FIFPRO World XI is decided exclusively by professional footballers, making it one of football’s major peer-recognition awards.
