ENGLAND skipper Harry Kane has been sensationally SNUBBED from the SHORTLIST for the best 11 of 2025.
Bayern Munich star Kane scored 41 goals for the German champions last season plus seven more for the Three Lions.
He has started this season in even better form, clocking up 23 goals already for club and country.
But Kane, 32, was astonishingly omitted from the 26-man shortlist for the FIFPRO World 11 – voted on by more than 20,000 professional players across the globe.
The members of the international players trades union were asked to assess performances in the year to August 3.
Incredibly, despite his goal glut, Kane’s name was absent from the list of the leading eight strikers – which included Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
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Messi’s inclusion in particular seems more about name recognition that his displays for Inter Miami in the MLS, while Ronaldo is now at Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.
Erling Haaland and Mo Salah were the two Prem frontmen to make the cut, with the top three strikers in the final selection to be unveiled next week.
The other strikers named were PSG’s Ousmane Dembele, Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe and the Barcelona pair of Raphinha and Lamine Yamal.
Jude Bellingham, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Cole Palmer – who played a huge role in Chelsea’s Club World Cup triumph – were the only three English players on the shortlist.
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Other Prem stars named were Liverpool’s Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk, Arsenal’s William Saliba and ex-Manchester City schemer Kevin de Bruyne, while City summer recruit Gianluigi Donnarumma was included after his displays for PSG.
The final side will have one keeper and three each from the shortlist of defenders, midfielders and attackers, with the last slot given to the other outfield player with the highest number of votes.
Kane’s omission comes after he was only named 13th in the Ballon d’Or standings despite his incredible season that ended with 55 goal contributions.
Some supporters questioned why the likes of Cole Palmer finished higher in the rankings than Kane despite having a worse season.
Kane almost single-handedly guided Bayern to the Bundesliga title and looks on course to do so once again this season.
He has an incredible 20 goals in 13 games for the German giants in all competitions so far.
The England captain has already netted two hat-tricks and five braces this term and will be vying for next year’s prize.
This weekend’s 3-0 win over Borussia Monchengladbach was the first time he failed to score for club or country in ten games.
FIFPRO World XI 26-man Shortlist
The FIFPRO World 11 shortlist is voted on by more than 20,000 professional players across the globe. Members of the union were asked to assess performances in the year to August 3.
Goalkeepers
Alisson Becker (Liverpool, Brazil)
Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid, Belgium)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain / Manchester City, Italy)
Defenders
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool / Real Madrid, England)
Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona, Spain)
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool, Netherlands)
Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain, Morocco)
Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain, Brazil)
Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal)
William Saliba (Arsenal, France)
Midfielders
Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid, England)
Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City / Napoli, Belgium)
Luka Modric (Real Madrid / AC Milan, Croatia)
Joao Neves (Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal)
Cole Palmer (Chelsea, England)
Pedri (Barcelona, Spain)
Federico Valverde (Real Madrid, Uruguay)
Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal)
Forwards
Ousmane Dembele (Paris Saint-Germain, France)
Erling Haaland (Manchester City, Norway)
Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid, France)
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, Argentina)
Raphinha (Barcelona, Brazil)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr, Portugal)
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, Egypt)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain)
