Kane becomes first Ballon d’Or winner left out of FIFPRO World XI
AI Executive Briefing
Gemini Flash AI~45s readHarry Kane has made history as the first reigning Ballon d'Or winner to be omitted from the FIFPRO Men's World XI since the award's inception. Despite a prolific 2025–26 season where he scored 73 goals, he failed to secure enough votes from his professional peers to make the final selection.
Context & Background
- ✦The FIFPRO World XI is unique among football awards because it relies entirely on the votes of professional players rather than journalists or coaches.
- ✦The exclusion highlights a significant divergence between the criteria used by the Ballon d'Or panel and the preferences of professional footballers.
Key Figures & Named Entities
Harry Kane:2026 Ballon d'Or winner who scored 61 goals for Bayern Munich and 73 total goals during the 2025-26 season.Kylian Mbappé:Led the attacker voting with 46% of the total votes cast by professional footballers.
Outlook & Next Steps
The results of the 2026 FIFPRO Men's World XI have been finalized and released, with no further legislative or administrative actions pending regarding the selection process.
Key Takeaways
AI Summary- Harry Kane has become the first reigning Ballon d'Or winner to be excluded from the FIFPRO Men's World XI since the award's inception in 2005.
- The FIFPRO World XI selection is determined exclusively by a voting process involving 19,806 professional footballers worldwide.
- Despite scoring 73 goals during the 2025–26 campaign, Kane ranked 5th among attackers with 27.6% of the votes, missing the cut for the final team.
Key Facts:2005: The FIFPRO World XI award was established, beginning a 21-year streak of Ballon d'Or winners being included in the team.2026: Harry Kane was crowned the Ballon d'Or winner at the 70th edition of the ceremony held at the London Palladium.
Editorial Excerpt
Harry Kane has become the first reigning Ballon d'Or winner to be excluded from the FIFPRO Men's World XI since the award's inception in 2005.
Frequently Asked Questions About This Story
How is the FIFPRO Men's World XI selected?
The team is selected through a secure voting process involving 19,806 professional men’s footballers worldwide who select their peers based on performance.
Why was the 2020 Ballon d'Or not awarded?
France Football cancelled the 2020 Ballon d'Or due to the Coronavirus pandemic, which disrupted the football calendar and forced matches to be played behind closed doors.
