PSG stars dominate the FIFA men’s XI while the Premier League only gets three players

At the FIFA The Best Awards in Doha, Qatar, last night, FIFA announced the World XI. Set up in a 4-4-2 formation, the forward line features Ousmane Dembélé alongside Lamine Yamal. In midfield, Pedri and Cole Palmer operate on the wings, with Vitinha and Jude Bellingham in central roles. The back four includes three PSG players alongside Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk.

Overall, the XI contains five Paris Saint-Germain players, or six if goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma is included. This comes as little surprise, given PSG’s dominance in European football and their treble-winning campaign with outstanding performances throughout the season. With such control from the Ligue 1 champions, only two players from the Premier League - Van Dijk and Palmer - made the list, while no representatives from the Bundesliga or Serie A were selected.

Last season, Van Dijk won the Premier League with an exceptional campaign. Although Liverpool have struggled in the 2025/26 season, he was still named in this XI, as the award period covers August 2024 to August 2025. Cole Palmer also earned his place after registering 15 goals and nine assists for Chelsea in the Premier League and being named Player of the Tournament when they won the Club World Cup in the United States.

Among the La Liga representatives, Jude Bellingham continues to play a key role at Real Madrid alongside Kylian Mbappé. Pedri enjoyed an excellent year with standout performances, while Yamal remains Barcelona’s best player. The 18-year-old even finished second in the Ballon d’Or this year, behind only Dembélé.

However, the selection has sparked debate online. Many fans argued that Raphinha deserved a place due to his impact at Barcelona. Others questioned the absence of Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah and Kylian Mbappé, all of whom enjoyed outstanding performances in 2025.

In the women’s World XI, Spain dominated with seven players included, led by the best player, Aitana Bonmatí. England filled the remaining four spots after winning the European title against Spain via a 3-1 penalty shootout victory.