Aitana Bonmatí and Ella Toone secured spots in the FIFPRO Women's World 11, while Ewa Pajor was controversially left out despite finishing second in the Ballon d'Or race and topping the Champions League scoring charts with 11 goals. Alexia Putellas earned inclusion after a quadruple-winning season with Barcelona, though she received a lower vote percentage (44.9%) than Bonmatí (47.4%) for the midfield positions. England internationals Alessia Russo, Hannah Hampton, and Alex Greenwood also featured, with Hampton receiving recognition despite losing the Yashin Trophy to Cata Coll.
Manchester City, despite winning their first domestic league title in a decade, had only one representative, Lucy Bronze, who received her ninth nomination, setting a new record. Barcelona dominated the selection with five players, including Irene Paredes, Clàudia Pina, and Mapi León. The vote, determined by 6,511 professional players, saw controversy as Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw, the Golden Boot winner, was omitted from the shortlist entirely.
Barbra Banda was the sole NWSL representative, highlighting the geographical selection bias. Toone made the final XI despite Manchester United finishing fourth and her limited playing time, featuring 14 league appearances and three goals. The selection window covered August 2025 to August 2026.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing