Raphinha Left Out of FIFA Best XI as Voting Reveals Fifth-Place Finish

Published ballots show he received only 17 first-place selections despite a prolific year for club and country.

Overview

FIFA unveiled its Men's World XI in Doha, with Lamine Yamal, Ousmane Dembélé, Jude Bellingham, Pedri, Cole Palmer, Vitinha, Virgil van Dijk, Achraf Hakimi, Nuno Mendes, William Pacho and Gianluigi Donnarumma named.
Raphinha missed the team and finished fifth in The Best voting, falling short of the top three despite being on the final shortlist.
The detailed voting breakdown shows he earned 17 first-place votes, with ballots from Marquinhos and Carlo Ancelotti placing him second rather than first.
His 2024–25 season featured La Liga Player of the Season honors, 18 goals and 10 assists in La Liga, and Champions League-leading tallies of 13 goals and nine assists.
Public reaction grew after the announcement, as his wife Natalia Rodrigues called the result an “injustice,” while the player has returned to fitness for Barcelona and publicly dismissed Saudi transfer rumors.