# FIFPRO Best XI 2025 Unveiled from FIFA The Best Award: PSG Dominate with Five Players

URL: https://technosports.co.in/fifpro-best-xi-2025-unveiled-from-fifa-the-best/  
Published: 2025-12-17  
Updated: 2025-12-17  
Author: Ankush Mallick

The [FIFPRO](https://www.fifa.com/en/the-best-fifa-football-awards/2025/?shortlink=rzjsbq49&is_retargeting=false&cid=(p_tw)(c_tbffa)(sc_tbffa25-voting)(ssc_tbffa25)&pid=(p_tw)(c_tbffa)(sc_tbffa25-voting)(ssc_tbffa25)&source_caller=api)Best XI for 2025 has been officially unveiled at FIFA The Best Awards ceremony held on December 16, 2025 in Doha, Qatar, showcasing the world’s most exceptional footballers as chosen exclusively by their professional peers. Over 26,000 professional footballers from 68 countries participated in voting to select the ultimate team of the year, with Paris Saint-Germain dominating the lineup with an unprecedented five players following their remarkable treble-winning campaign. The FIFPRO Best XI represents the pinnacle of individual recognition in world football, as players from across the globe cast their votes to honor those who have demonstrated outstanding performances throughout the evaluation period from July 15, 2024 to August 3, 2025.

FIFA The Best Awards 2025 ceremony brought together football’s brightest stars at the Fairmont Katara Hall in Doha, celebrating individual excellence and memorable on-field action across both men’s and women’s categories. The FIFPRO Best XI announcement was among the most anticipated moments of the evening, with fans and players eagerly awaiting to see which stars would earn selection to this prestigious team. The award carries unique significance as it is the only global football honor decided entirely by professional players rather than journalists, coaches, or fans, making it a true peer-to-peer recognition of excellence in the beautiful game.

## Complete FIFPRO Best XI 2025 Lineup Revealed

The FIFPRO Best XI for 2025 features an extraordinary collection of talent spanning multiple leagues and nations, with Paris Saint-Germain’s European dominance clearly reflected in the final selection. The team is comprised of goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, defenders Achraf Hakimi, William Pacho, Virgil van Dijk, and Nuno Mendes, midfielders Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Vitinha, and Pedri, and forwards Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembélé. This lineup showcases the perfect blend of established world-class talent and emerging superstars who have captured the imagination of football fans worldwide.

![FIFPRO Best XI 2025](https://technosports.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/FIFPRO-Best-XI-819x1024.jpg)

The formation selected by professional footballers demonstrates tactical balance while accommodating the most outstanding individual performers across all positions. Gianluigi Donnarumma earned selection as goalkeeper after receiving the most votes of any player with 13,609 selections from his fellow professionals, a testament to his dominant performances for PSG before his move to Manchester City. The defensive line combines pace, power, and technical excellence with Achraf Hakimi’s attacking instincts, William Pacho’s physicality, Virgil van Dijk’s leadership and defensive mastery, and Nuno Mendes’s dynamic wing play.

The midfield quartet represents creativity, energy, and goal-scoring threat from central areas. Cole Palmer’s breakthrough season at Chelsea earned him recognition as one of the Premier League’s most exciting talents, while Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham continued his meteoric rise with another season of crucial contributions. PSG’s Vitinha provided the technical quality and tactical intelligence in the engine room, complemented by Barcelona’s Pedri whose vision and passing range have made him indispensable to the Catalan club. The forward pairing of Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembélé offers a combination of youthful exuberance and established quality that terrifies defenders across Europe.

| **FIFPRO Best XI 2025** | **Player** | **Club** | **Position** |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Goalkeeper | Gianluigi Donnarumma | Manchester City (formerly PSG) | GK |
| Right Back | Achraf Hakimi | Paris Saint-Germain | RB |
| Center Back | William Pacho | Paris Saint-Germain | CB |
| Center Back | Virgil van Dijk | Liverpool | CB |
| Left Back | Nuno Mendes | Paris Saint-Germain | LB |
| Midfielder | Cole Palmer | Chelsea | CM |
| Midfielder | Jude Bellingham | Real Madrid | CM |
| Midfielder | Vitinha | Paris Saint-Germain | CM |
| Midfielder | Pedri | Barcelona | CM |
| Forward | Lamine Yamal | Barcelona | RW |
| Forward | Ousmane Dembélé | Paris Saint-Germain | LW |

## PSG’s Historic Dominance with Five FIFPRO Best XI Selections

Paris Saint-Germain’s representation in the FIFPRO Best XI 2025 reached historic proportions with five players earning selection, marking the club’s largest-ever representation in a single edition of the award. Gianluigi Donnarumma, Achraf Hakimi, Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, and Ousmane Dembélé all featured in the final lineup, reflecting PSG’s extraordinary 2024-25 campaign that saw them capture a remarkable treble including the UEFA Champions League title. This achievement surpasses PSG’s previous best showing in 2022 when Hakimi, Kylian Mbappé, and Lionel Messi made the team, demonstrating how the French champions have established themselves as Europe’s dominant force.

The five-player selection from PSG represents the most from any single club in the FIFPRO Best XI 2025, highlighting the strength in depth and quality throughout their squad. Gianluigi Donnarumma’s performances between the posts were instrumental in PSG’s clean sheet in the Champions League final against Internazionale, where they triumphed 5-0 on May 31, 2025. Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes provided attacking width and defensive solidity from the full-back positions, with their overlapping runs and defensive recovery pace proving crucial to PSG’s tactical approach throughout the season.

![](https://technosports.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Vitinha-1024x684.jpg)
*Paris, France – November 4: Vitinha of Paris Saint-Germain in action during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD4 match between Paris Saint-Germain and FC Bayern München at Parc des Princes on November 04, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by Tnani Badreddine/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images)*

Vitinha’s technical excellence and tactical intelligence anchored PSG’s midfield, with the Portuguese midfielder orchestrating attacks and maintaining defensive balance when required. His ability to control tempo and dictate play earned him widespread recognition from fellow professionals who voted him into the FIFPRO Best XI. Ousmane Dembélé capped a sensational season by winning both the FIFPRO Best XI selection and The Best FIFA Men’s Player award, having scored 35 goals and registered 16 assists during the campaign while leading PSG to Champions League glory and domestic dominance.

## Lamine Yamal Makes History as Youngest Ever Selection

Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal etched his name into football history by becoming the youngest player ever selected for the FIFPRO Best XI at just 18 years old, shattering Kylian Mbappé’s previous record from 2018 when the French forward made the team aged 19. The Spanish winger received 10,167 votes from professional footballers worldwide, the second-highest total behind only Gianluigi Donnarumma, demonstrating the enormous respect his peers have for his exceptional talent and maturity despite his tender age. Lamine Yamal’s inclusion represents a watershed moment for youth development in elite football and signals the arrival of a generational talent who has already established himself among the world’s best.

The Barcelona teenager’s performances throughout the evaluation period showcased technical brilliance, tactical intelligence, and decision-making far beyond his years. Lamine Yamal’s ability to impact games at the highest level, including crucial performances in La Liga and European competition, convinced fellow professionals that he deserved recognition alongside established superstars with far more experience. His selection as one of only two forwards in the FIFPRO Best XI, partnering with Ousmane Dembélé, speaks volumes about the impact he has made on professional footballers around the world.

Lamine Yamal’s historic achievement also contributes to Spain’s impressive record in the FIFPRO Best XI, with the nation holding the all-time record of 49 appearances from 15 different players. The young Barcelona star joins fellow Spanish midfield maestro Pedri in the 2025 lineup, continuing a tradition of Spanish excellence that includes legends such as Sergio Ramos (11 appearances), Andrés Iniesta (9), Xavi Hernández (6), Iker Casillas (5), Gerard Piqué (4), and Carles Puyol (3). At 18, Lamine Yamal has decades ahead of him to add to his FIFPRO Best XI collection and potentially challenge the appearance records held by football’s all-time greats.

## Ten Debutants Make FIFPRO Best XI 2025

The FIFPRO Best XI 2025 features an impressive 10 debutants making their first appearance in the prestigious lineup, reflecting the emergence of new talent and the evolution of world football’s elite. Among the men’s selections, Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, Pedri, Cole Palmer, Lamine Yamal, and Ousmane Dembélé all earned their maiden FIFPRO Best XI honors, representing a significant changing of the guard alongside established stars like Virgil van Dijk, Achraf Hakimi, and Jude Bellingham. The high number of first-time selections demonstrates how rapidly football’s landscape evolves and how new stars can establish themselves at the pinnacle of the sport through consistent excellence.

Cole Palmer’s breakthrough at Chelsea proved particularly remarkable, with the English midfielder establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s most creative and decisive players after his move from Manchester City. His inclusion in the FIFPRO Best XI alongside more established midfield stars validated his remarkable impact and signaled his arrival as an elite talent. Pedri’s selection represented recognition of his consistent brilliance for Barcelona, with the Spanish midfielder’s technical quality and tactical understanding earning the admiration of professional footballers worldwide despite still being just 22 years old.

The debutant class also highlights the value of the voting process that allows professional players to recognize excellence across all leagues and competitions, not just those with the highest media profiles. William Pacho’s inclusion after his impressive performances for PSG demonstrated that defenders who excel in their fundamental responsibilities earn respect from fellow professionals, even if they may not generate the same headlines as attacking players. The FIFPRO Best XI’s focus on peer-to-peer voting ensures that players who truly understand the demands of elite football make the selections, resulting in a team that authentically represents the year’s best performers.

## FIFA The Best Awards 2025: Complete Winners List

The FIFA The Best Awards 2025 ceremony recognized excellence across multiple categories beyond the FIFPRO Best XI, with Ousmane Dembélé and Aitana Bonmatí claiming the top individual honors. The Paris Saint-Germain and France forward won The Best FIFA Men’s Player award, capping a superb year that included winning the treble with PSG and claiming the Ballon d’Or. Barcelona and Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmatí won The Best FIFA Women’s Player for the third consecutive year, having also claimed the award in 2023 and 2024, cementing her status as women’s football’s most dominant player.

In the goalkeeping categories, Gianluigi Donnarumma was named The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper 2025 for the first time, with the Italian’s case built around his trophy-heavy season with Paris Saint-Germain including the Champions League triumph. England and Chelsea goalkeeper Hannah Hampton won The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper 2025, becoming only the second England player to win the award following Mary Earps in 2022 and 2023. Hampton’s standout year included playing a key role in England’s UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 triumph with decisive shootout saves and helping Chelsea complete a domestic treble.

The goal awards produced spectacular winners, with Santiago Montiel winning the FIFA Puskás Award 2025 for his incredible overhead kick for Independiente against Independiente Rivadavia in Argentina’s top flight in May. Lizbeth Ovalle won the FIFA Marta Award 2025 for her outrageous scorpion-kick finish for Tigres against Guadalajara in Liga MX Femenil in March. The FIFA Fair Play Award was presented to Dr. Andreas Harlass-Neuking, team doctor at SSV Jahn Regensburg, who was honored for running into stands to perform resuscitation on a collapsed fan during a match in Magdeburg in April.

| **FIFA The Best Awards 2025 Winners** | **Category** | **Winner** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Best Men’s Player | Individual | Ousmane Dembélé (PSG/France) |
| Best Women’s Player | Individual | Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona/Spain) |
| Best Men’s Goalkeeper | Individual | Gianluigi Donnarumma (Man City/Italy) |
| Best Women’s Goalkeeper | Individual | Hannah Hampton (Chelsea/England) |
| Best Men’s Coach | Coaching | Luis Enrique (PSG) |
| Puskás Award | Best Men’s Goal | Santiago Montiel (Independiente) |
| Marta Award | Best Women’s Goal | Lizbeth Ovalle (Tigres) |
| Fair Play Award | Humanitarian | Dr. Andreas Harlass-Neuking |

## How FIFPRO Best XI Voting Works

The FIFPRO Best XI voting process is unique in the football awards landscape as it is determined exclusively by professional footballers themselves, with over 26,000 players from 68 countries casting votes for the 2025 edition. FIFPRO and approximately 70 affiliated players unions distribute secure digital voting links that give players from all professional football clubs worldwide access to the voting platform, ensuring comprehensive global representation. The voting system asks each player to select three standout performers in four positional categories: goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, and forward, with players required to have appeared in at least 30 official matches during the evaluation period to be eligible.

For the Men’s World 11, votes covered performances from July 15, 2024 to August 3, 2025, ensuring that the evaluation period captured a full season of domestic and international competition including league campaigns, cup competitions, and continental tournaments. The goalkeeper and the three defenders, three midfielders, and three forwards who receive the most votes are selected for the final FIFPRO Best XI, with the remaining spot assigned to the outfield player with the next highest number of votes who has not already been selected. This voting methodology ensures that the final team represents genuine peer recognition rather than media narratives or fan popularity contests.

The separation of the FIFPRO Best XI from FIFA’s official Best XI occurred in 2024, ending a 15-year partnership that began in 2009. While FIFA’s Best XI now includes input from national team captains, coaches, media representatives, and fans, the FIFPRO Best XI maintains its original character as a purely player-voted honor. This distinction gives the FIFPRO Best XI particular prestige within the football community, as players voting for their peers understand the technical demands, tactical challenges, and mental pressures of performing at the highest level better than any other constituency.

## Notable Statistics and Records from FIFPRO Best XI 2025

The FIFPRO Best XI 2025 produced several remarkable statistics and records that highlight both individual excellence and broader trends in world football. Gianluigi Donnarumma’s 13,609 votes represented the highest total received by any player, with fellow professionals overwhelmingly recognizing his goalkeeping brilliance throughout PSG’s treble-winning campaign. Lamine Yamal’s 10,167 votes placed him second overall, demonstrating the enormous respect the Barcelona teenager has earned from players around the world despite being the youngest nominee in the award’s history.

![](https://technosports.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Jude-Bellingham-1024x668.jpg)
*Jude Bellingham*

Real Madrid’s continued dominance in FIFPRO Best XI selections added to their historic record, with Jude Bellingham earning a spot in the 2025 team to join the long list of Galacticos who have been honored. No club has shaped the Men’s World 11 quite like Real Madrid, with the Spanish giants adding to their legacy year after year through consistently developing and attracting world-class talent. The presence of players from diverse clubs and leagues demonstrates the global nature of football excellence, with representatives from the Premier League (Palmer, Van Dijk), La Liga (Bellingham, Yamal, Pedri), Ligue 1 (five PSG players), and Serie A/Premier League crossover (Donnarumma) all featured.

Spain maintained its position as the most represented nation in Men’s World 11 history with 49 total appearances from 15 different players, with Lamine Yamal and Pedri adding to that distinguished list in 2025. The Spanish football development system’s continued production of technically gifted, tactically intelligent players ensures that La Roja’s representatives feature prominently in these selections year after year. Since the award’s inception in 2005, a total of 93 players have appeared in the Men’s World 11, with legends like Lionel Messi (17 appearances) and Cristiano Ronaldo (15 appearances) setting standards that future generations will struggle to match.

Read More: [Paulo Dybala Set to Leave Roma as Free Agent at End of Season](https://technosports.co.in/paulo-dybala-set-to-leave-roma-end-of-season/)

## FAQs

### What is the FIFPRO Best XI and how is it different from FIFA’s Best XI?

The FIFPRO Best XI is the only global football award decided exclusively by professional players themselves, with over 26,000 footballers from 68 countries voting for the team. It differs from FIFA’s Best XI because FIFA’s version includes voting from national team captains, coaches, media representatives, and fans. The separation occurred in 2024 when FIFPRO ended its 15-year partnership with FIFA to return to a purely player-voted format, giving the FIFPRO Best XI particular prestige as genuine peer recognition.

### Who were the players selected in the FIFPRO Best XI 2025?

The FIFPRO Best XI 2025 lineup consists of Gianluigi Donnarumma (goalkeeper), Achraf Hakimi, William Pacho, Virgil van Dijk, and Nuno Mendes (defenders), Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Vitinha, and Pedri (midfielders), and Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembélé (forwards). Five Paris Saint-Germain players feature in the team, marking the club’s largest-ever representation in a single edition following their remarkable treble-winning 2024-25 campaign.

### How did Lamine Yamal make history with the FIFPRO Best XI 2025?

Lamine Yamal became the youngest player ever selected for the FIFPRO Best XI at just 18 years old, breaking Kylian Mbappé’s previous record from 2018 when the French forward made the team aged 19. The Barcelona winger received 10,167 votes from professional footballers worldwide, the second-highest total behind only Gianluigi Donnarumma, demonstrating the enormous respect his peers have for his exceptional talent despite his young age.

### When and where were the FIFA The Best Awards 2025 held?

The FIFA The Best Awards 2025 ceremony was held on Tuesday, December 16, 2025 at the Fairmont Katara Hall in Doha, Qatar. The event celebrated outstanding achievements in world football with awards presented across multiple categories including Best Players, Best Goalkeepers, Best Coaches, the Puskás Award for best goal, and the FIFPRO Best XI. The ceremony was broadcast live and free-of-charge through FIFA’s official website and FIFA+ platform.

### How many professional footballers voted for the FIFPRO Best XI 2025?

Over 26,000 professional footballers from 68 countries participated in voting for the FIFPRO Best XI 2025, making it one of the most comprehensive peer-recognition awards in global sport. FIFPRO and approximately 70 affiliated players unions distributed secure digital voting links to players from all professional football clubs worldwide, ensuring broad geographical and competitive representation. The voting period covered performances from July 15, 2024 to August 3, 2025, with players required to have appeared in at least 30 official matches to be eligible for selection.