Saudi Gazette report
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s Salem Al Dawsari has been named in the expanded shortlist for FIFA’s 2025 “The Best” World 11, emerging as the only Saudi player on the list after another standout season for club and country.
Al Dawsari’s continued presence among the world’s elite underscores the growing stature of Saudi players and the domestic league on the global football map.
The list also features several foreign stars active in Saudi Arabia, including Al Hilal goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, defender Kalidou Koulibaly, Al Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo, and Italy striker Mateo Retegui, who recently joined Al Qadsiah.
Their inclusion further reflects the rising technical quality and international profile of the Saudi Pro League, now among the most followed competitions in Asia and beyond.
FIFA also released the shortlist for the 2025 “The Best” Men’s Player award, which included Arab stars Mohamed Salah and Achraf Hakimi alongside world-leading names. Voting is open to fans until November 28 on FIFA’s official platforms.
Salah enjoyed a title-winning Premier League season and led Egypt to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while Hakimi played a key role in Paris Saint-Germain’s historic UEFA Champions League triumph.
The list also includes Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, Portugal duo Nuno Mendes and Vitinha, Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, and La Liga standouts Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé.
The expanded 2025 World 11 shortlist features 21 goalkeepers, including Alisson Becker, Thibaut Courtois, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Emiliano Martínez, Edouard Mendy and Manuel Neuer.
Defensively, the list includes Pau Cubarsi, Alphonso Davies, Rúben Dias, Virgil van Dijk, Jules Koundé, Achraf Hakimi and Koulibaly.
The midfield category features Cole Palmer, Declan Rice, Bernardo Silva, Pedri, Federico Valverde and Florian Wirtz.
The attacking shortlist is headlined by Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Mohamed Salah, Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, Robert Lewandowski, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Retegui.
