The Best Defined in the World

The release of the 11 finalists for The Best FIFA Men's Player Award officially closes the book on one of the most remarkable seasons in recent football memory. This prestigious shortlist celebrates the elite performers from August 11, 2024, to August 2, 2025-a period defined by unforgettable domestic victories, continental glory, and record-shattering individual displays.

What gives this award its special significance is the universal nature of the selection process. It's a real gauge of world opinion, decided upon by votes from national team coaches and captains, conscientious media representatives, and football fans worldwide. Though the previous winner, Vinícius Júnior, does not figure in this year's list of nominees, the field this time reflects an even more eclectic, more competitive mix of dazzling youth and established legends.

The Elite 11: Roster and Club Representation

With a significant bias towards the teams that dominated the major competitions of the 2024–2025 season, the final 11 nominees reflect a concentration of success.

Paris Saint-Germain has the most dominant presence on the shortlist with the phenomenal four nominees. This reflects their history-making season in which they sealed the UEFA Champions League title as well as a domestic double. The nominations from the French capital include Ousmane Dembélé, Achraf Hakimi, Nuno Mendes, and Vitinha.

Hot on their heels is FC Barcelona, contributing three nominees after a highly successful domestic season that saw them lift the La Liga title, the Copa del Rey, and the Supercopa de España. Representing them will be Pedri, Raphinha, and the teenage sensation Lamine Yamal.

The remaining four slots have been filled by superstars from other European giants, such as Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé, Chelsea's Cole Palmer, Bayern Munich's Harry Kane, and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah. All these four players were, without question, the driving force for their respective clubs to achieve big successes.

Individual Achievements and Stats Breakdown

Impressive statistical highlights and trophy cabinets from the nominees underpin the depth of talent in competition for this year's prize:

Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)

• Key Achievements: UEFA Champions League Winner, Ligue 1 Winner, Coupe de France Winner, named Champions League Player of the Season and Ligue 1 Player of the Year.
• Key Statistical Highlights: Instrumental in PSG's European and domestic treble; his attacking creativity and match-winning impacts were important in their first Champions League title, which they won with a commanding 5-0 victory in the final.

Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid / France)

• Key Achievements: FIFA Intercontinental Cup Winner, UEFA Super Cup Winner.
• Key Statistical Highlights: Claimed the European Golden Shoe and the Pichichi Trophy, after scoring 31 La Liga goals. He was on target in both the UEFA Super Cup final and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final, immediately justifying his high-profile move.

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool / Egypt)

• Key Achievements: Premier League Winner.
• Key Statistical Highlights: The Egyptian King topped the charts as the Premier League's top scorer, claiming the Golden Boot with 29 goals and a league-high 18 assists, a total of a league record-equaling 47 goal contributions, making him the league's most effective attacker by a distance.

Raphinha (FC Barcelona / Brazil)

• Key Achievements: La Liga Winner, Copa del Rey Winner, Supercopa de España Winner, La Liga Player of the Season.
• Key Statistical Highlights: Became the joint-top scorer in the UEFA Champions League with 13 goals besides securing nine assists in the competition, more than any other player, illustrating a rare combination of finisher and creator.

Cole Palmer (Chelsea / England)

• Key Achievements: FIFA Club World Cup Winner, UEFA Conference League Winner, awarded the Club World Cup Golden Ball-best player of the tournament.
• Key Statistical Highlights: He scored twice in the Club World Cup final and was named Player of the Match in both the CWC and Conference League finals. He became Chelsea's clear leader and a clutch player in important games.

Harry Kane (Bayern Munich / England)

• Key Achievements: Bundesliga Champion, named Bundesliga Player of the Season.
• Key Statistical Highlights: He scored 26 goals in the Bundesliga and 11 more in the UEFA Champions League, including four against Dinamo Zagreb, keeping up his steady scoring pace in a season when he won a trophy.

Lamine Yamal (FC Barcelona / Spain)

• Key Achievements: La Liga Winner, Copa del Rey Winner, Supercopa de España Winner.
• Key Statistical Highlights: He shone brightly despite his youth, scoring in the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League: Round of 16, Quarterfinals, and Semi-finals. He had 8 goals and 13 assists in all club competitions in a season that showed astonishing maturity and confidence.

Pedri (FC Barcelona / Spain)

• Key Achievements: La Liga Winner, Copa del Rey Winner, Supercopa de España Winner.
• Key Statistical Highlights: The fleet-footed playmaker has been instrumental to Barcelona's domestic success, providing the creative and tempo-setting engine room for Hansi Flick’s triple-trophy-winning side.

Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain / Portugal)

• Key Achievements: UEFA Champions League Winner, UEFA Nations League Winner, Domestic Double, awarded the Club World Cup Silver Ball.
• Key Statistical Highlights: He is the key midfielder who helped his club and country win four major titles in one season and was praised for his consistent performances throughout the Club World Cup.

Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain / Morocco)

• Key Achievements: UEFA Champions League Winner, Domestic Double.
• Statistical Key Highlights: Made him one of the most respected attacking wingbacks in the world. His attacking instincts were unending, and he scored two goals and assisted on two others in the FIFA Club World Cup, which helped PSG win in Europe.

Nuno Mendes - Paris Saint-Germain/Portugal

• Key Achievements: UEFA Champions League Winner, UEFA Nations League Winner, Domestic Double.
• Key Statistical Highlights: On the opposite flank to Hakimi, he was a mainstay of the victorious PSG team; scored in both legs of the Champions League quarter-final win against Aston Villa and helped Portugal win the Nations League.

Key Narratives and Competitive Angles

The 11-man shortlist sets up several interesting storylines.

• The Parisian Quadruple Threat: Where four players have nominations, something of the collective strength of Paris Saint-Germain cannot be taken away. Their Champions League win, a maiden title for the club, ensured that Dembélé, Hakimi, Mendes, and Vitinha received global recognition for their roles in a historic, trophy-laden season. It will be up to the voting to see if one of them can be distinguished from his dominant teammates.
• Young Lions vs. Seasoned Veterans: The list powerfully contrasts the explosive breakout seasons of younger stars against the consistent excellence of established greats. You have, on one side, an 18-year-old Lamine Yamal and a 23-year-old Cole Palmer, both players who quickly assumed talismanic status for their respective clubs. On the other side of this are seasoned performers like Harry Kane and Mohamed Salah, who’s phenomenal, record-setting goal contributions prove that world-class consistency is just as valuable as youthful exuberance.
• The Goal-Scoring Elite: The award will always be heavily featured by the continent's top goals scorers. With multiple Golden Boot winners in Mbappé, European Golden Shoe winner Salah himself; Premier League Golden Boot winner Kane, being top in the Bundesliga, it only speaks to how endemic and deep-seated goal contributions are in the criteria for the award. Raphinha's stats in the Champions League goal charts also put him firmly in this elite bracket.

Voting and The Road Ahead

It culminates in the combination of votes from four different groups: current coaches of all men's national teams, captains of those national teams, one specialist journalist from each territory, and the public vote. Each group will have equal weight in the voting process. This balanced approach will ensure that the final decision reflects both expert opinion and the passion of the global fan base. The period of deliberation will now begin before the ultimate winner is crowned at the official ceremony.

The Road for the Awards Awaits

The shortlist for The Best FIFA Men's Player Award shows how exciting this season of football was, with record-breaking performances and trophy hauls that will go down in history. This group of 11 is the best in the sport and gives a perfect picture of the 2024/2025 season. The depth of talent in the competition makes it truly interesting. For example, PSG has been dominant in the Champions League, Yamal is a teenage sensation, and Salah and Kane are great goal scorers. The player who shone the brightest among a group of stars during a season that will be remembered for its high quality will win.