Premier League representation has been severely limited in FIFA's prestigious annual world team, with just three of its stars making the cut. The global football governing body unveiled its Best Men's XI for 2025 during a ceremony in Doha, with Paris Saint-Germain's treble-winning squad heavily favoured.
PSG's Historic Season Rewarded
The selected side, set out in a 4-4-2 formation, is overwhelmingly dominated by players from French champions Paris Saint-Germain. This reflects their incredible 2024/25 season, where they secured a historic clean sweep of the Champions League, Ligue 1, and the French Cup. The forward line features the formidable Barcelona duo of Ousmane Dembele and teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, who finished first and second in this year's Ballon d'Or rankings.
In defence, only one player does not currently play for the Parisian club: Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk. He is joined by PSG's Nuno Mendes, Willian Pacho, and Achraf Hakimi. In goal, Gianluigi Donnarumma was selected, seemingly for his performances for PSG before his £26million summer transfer to Manchester City.
Premier League's Sparse Representation
The English top flight's sole representatives are Van Dijk, Donnarumma, and Chelsea's breakthrough star Cole Palmer. Palmer is positioned on the right side of a midfield that also includes Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham, PSG's Vitinha in the centre, and Barcelona's Pedri on the left.
This selection has led to several high-profile omissions from the Premier League. Notably, there is no place for Manchester City's goal machine Erling Haaland or Liverpool's prolific forward Mohamed Salah. Barcelona's Raphinha also missed out despite his clubmate's inclusion.
Context and Consequences
The snub for many Premier League stars comes despite Liverpool's triumph in the 2024/25 Premier League title race. However, the announcement notes that Jurgen Klopp's successors, now led by Arne Slot, are struggling this season and currently trail leaders Arsenal by ten points.
The composition of FIFA's Best XI underscores the shifting balance of power in European football, rewarding collective success in UEFA's premier club competition above domestic achievements. It highlights a season where PSG's continental dominance has overshadowed even the brightest individual campaigns in England's fiercely competitive league.
