Harry Kane’s FIFPRO World 11 exclusion sparks debate over Football Award credibility

The exclusion of reigning Ballon d’Or winner Harry Kane from the 2026 FIFPRO World 11 highlights a growing flaw in modern football awards, according to an editorial by Hfworld.net.

Despite scoring over 60 goals and starring at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Kane was omitted from a four-man attack featuring Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, Lionel Messi, and Erling Haaland.​

The voting process, conducted by over 20,000 professional players, has drawn criticism for prioritizing brand recognition and nostalgia over on-field production.

Selecting MLS-based Messi over Kane, who led European scoring charts, highlights the stark disconnect between journalists’ Ballon d’Or selections and players’ FIFPRO choices.​

The incident reinforces concerns that major football accolades are losing credibility.