Lamine Yamal shatters Mbappe's record by a wide margin

Lamine Yamal has set a new milestone as the youngest footballer to be featured in the FIFPRO Best XI 2025, breaking the record once held by Kylian Mbappe.

According to the announcement from the World Professional Footballers’ Association (FIFPRO) last night, over 20,000 professional players from 68 countries participated in voting for the Best XI of 2025. Among the honored names, Yamal stood out by receiving 10,167 votes, even more than Ousmane Dembele, the 2025 Ballon d'Or winner.

At only 18 years old, Lamine Yamal has not only become a key player for Barcelona but also the youngest star in history to be named in the FIFPRO Best XI before turning 19, significantly breaking Mbappe’s record, who achieved this feat in 2018 at age 19 after winning the World Cup with France.

Besides Yamal, Barcelona also has Pedri included, demonstrating that the La Masia academy remains a cradle of world-class talents. Real Madrid is not far behind, featuring two stars in the lineup: Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe. Notably, this marks the sixth consecutive year Mbappe has been selected, proving his consistency and elite status.

However, PSG dominated the list with four players honored: Hakimi, Mendes, Vitinha, and Dembele. This dominance is understandable as the French club just completed a flawless season, securing a historic “quintuple” by winning the French Super Cup, National Cup, Ligue 1, Champions League, and UEFA Super Cup.

Additionally, Gianluigi Donnarumma, who played for both PSG and Man City in 2025, was also included. The other two names in the squad are Premier League superstars: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) and Cole Palmer (Chelsea).

The trio of Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Raphinha (Barcelona), and Harry Kane (Bayern Munich) were considered the biggest omissions despite their impressive performances over the past year.

Nevertheless, Yamal’s shining moment remains the highlight of this year’s awards. From a teenage talent, the 18-year-old star is continuing to write his own fairy tale, poised to become the new icon of world football.