Harry Kane missed out despite winning the ballon d'Or
\n\nFIFA Pro named their World XI for 2026 on Tuesday (November 9), and in an unprecedented move, Harry Kane did not find a place in the team despite being announced as the Ballon d'Or winner last month. However, Lionel Messi's impressive showing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup was rewarded as he made a comeback to the team after a gap of two years.
\n\nKane's omission is the first-ever instance of the Ballon d'Or winner not making the team in the year he won the award since the FIFA Pro World XI was created in 2005. On the other hand, Messi has extended his world record by featuring for the 18th time, which is the most in history. Cristiano Ronaldo (15) and Sergio Ramos (11) are the only other players to be part of the team ten or more times.
\n\nFor those unversed, FIFAPro is the global player's union for footballers in the world and has players from 70 member associations. The World XI is an annual affair (for men and women's footballers bot) and is voted by the players themselves. The 2026 men's team was decided by votes by 19,806…
Original source: https://www.timesnownews.com/sports
