Bronze named in World 11 for record ninth time

Bronze is one of five England players named, with Alex Greenwood, Alessia Russo, Ella Toone and Hannah Hampton also selected. Zambia striker Barbra Banda, named in the team for the third time, is the only player in the side based outside England or Spain. The World 11 - the only global football award chosen exclusively by players - was selected through votes from 6,511 female players from 64 countries.

Defenders: Lucy Bronze (Chelsea, England), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City, England), Mapi Leon (Barcelona/London City Lionesses, Spain), Irene Paredes (Barcelona, Spain). Professional players voted based on performances between 4 August 2025 and 16 August 2026, with only those with at least 20 appearances eligible. Voters were asked to choose the three players who had performed best in each position: goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and forward.

The goalkeeper, three defenders, three midfielders and three forwards who received the most votes were selected for the World 11. Copyright © 2026 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.