The process of ranking the world’s elite footballers is a monumental task, requiring a vast and distinguished panel of experts. This year’s selection was compiled with the input of a 219-member jury, a group that brings together an extraordinary depth of football knowledge and experience.
The panel is a unique assembly of former international stars, active coaches, and respected journalists from across the globe. Among the footballing legends lending their expertise are World Cup winners like Romário and Dunga from Brazil’s 1994 triumph, and Germany’s 2014 captain, Philipp Lahm. They are joined by other iconic figures such as Didi Hamann and a host of celebrated names from South America and Europe. Collectively, the former professionals on the jury boast an impressive 904 international caps.
This diverse group operates on a voluntary basis, with no judge receiving compensation for their participation. Their votes were cast using a points system: a first-place selection received 40 points, descending to a single point for a 40th-place choice. These raw scores were then tallied, with the highest score for each player deducted to mitigate the impact of outlier votes. In the event of a tie, the number of votes a player received and their highest individual ranking were used as tiebreakers.
To ensure complete impartiality, each judge’s individual ballot will remain confidential. In the final published breakdown, voters will be identified only by a randomly assigned number and their professional category, safeguarding their ability to vote freely.
The highly anticipated list will be unveiled over four days, beginning with players ranked 100 through 71, followed by subsequent reveals building towards the final top 10. This meticulous and transparent methodology aims to deliver a definitive and authoritative ranking of football’s finest talents for the year.
