oroccan full-back Achraf Hakimi is in the 2026 team of the year unveiled on November 9 by FIFPRO, the global union of professional footballers. Selected in 2025 as well, the Paris Saint-Germain defender earns a second straight selection.
The eleven was chosen by 19,806 professional footballers from 73 countries, on performances between August 4, 2025 and July 19, 2026. Each voter picked three players per position, among those with at least thirty official matches over the period.
Hakimi lines up in defense alongside Spain’s Pau Cubarsi and his Portuguese teammate Nuno Mendes, in front of goalkeeper David Raya. He is the only African player in a team that counts four Spaniards, all crowned world champions this summer.
Created in 2005, the World 11 is the only global award decided exclusively by the players. Argentina’s Lionel Messi earns his eighteenth selection this year, a record.
His peers will thus have placed the Moroccan in the defense of the world eleven two seasons running.
Photo: Bryan Berlin, CC BY-SA 4.0.
FIFPRO - Who is in the 2026 FIFPRO Men’s World 11
FIFPRO - FIFPRO World 11: who received the most votes and who narrowly missed out
