FIFA announces the ideal lineup for 2026

Spain's stars have made their mark in the FIFPro World XI for 2025-2026, with four Spanish players included in the ideal lineup. This selection comes after a vote from over 26,000 professional players from 75 countries to choose the best men's and women's teams for the season.

Lamine Yamal, David Raya, Pau Cubarsí, and Rodri have been included in the squad, increasing the number of Spanish players by two compared to the last edition, which only featured Pedri and Lamine Yamal. This inclusion reflects the successes of the Spanish national team, alongside Raya's standout performances with Arsenal and his Premier League title win, as well as Rodri's achievements, who was awarded the Best Player at the FIFA World Cup, and Lamine Yamal, who finished third in the Ballon d'Or race.

FIFPro has announced its ideal lineup, featuring David Raya in goal, Achraf Hakimi, Pau Cubarsí, and Nuno Mendes in defense, with Jude Bellingham, Rodri, and Vitinha in midfield, while Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, and Lionel Messi led the attack.

David Raya topped the voting with 51.9%, ahead of Kylian Mbappé who received 46%. Meanwhile, Harry Kane missed out on the lineup despite competing for one of the attacking positions, as he garnered only 27.6% of the votes, compared to 37.4% for Lamine Yamal, 29.5% for Lionel Messi, and 28.4% for Erling Haaland, leaving him out of the best 11 players.

The squad has seen numerous changes compared to last season's lineup, which included Gianluigi Donnarumma, Achraf Hakimi, Virgil van Dijk, Nuno Mendes, as well as Vitinha, Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, and Pedri. In attack, Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappé, and Ousmane Dembélé were present. Dembélé, however, has missed out on the final nominees list this time.

Among the other surprises was the absence of Unai Simón, who was named the best goalkeeper of the year by UEFA, as well as Fabián Ruiz, despite being the only player to have won both the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Champions League during the last season. The voting process included players who performed at their best from August 4, 2025, to July 19, 2026.

The lineup is as follows:

David Raya

Nuno Mendes, Pau Cubarsí, and Achraf Hakimi are all key players in their respective teams.

Bellingham - Rodri - Vitinha

Mbappé - Messi - Yamal

Erling Haaland.