Team of the Year 2025: Kane, Mbappe, Messi among stars taking who make shortlist

To select the Team of the Year, TRIBALFOOTBAL used their internal player rating system just as they do for their Team of the Week. However, there were some further constraints on who could make the XI.

They decided to go a bit bigger in 2025, so instead of taking the player with the top average in each position across the 'Big Five' leagues in Europe, they expanded it to the top eight leagues in Europe as well as the Saudi Pro League and the MLS, the 10 leagues we cover most.

All the leagues used in their Team of the Year have regularly featured at different points across 2025 in our Team of the Week entries.

The cutoff date was in mid-December, at which point players had to have played a minimum of 30 league matches across the calendar year.

Below you can see their Team of the Year for 2025:

Goalkeeper

Mile Svilar (Roma) 7.1 (average match rating)

You might remember Miles Svilar's name from a nightmarish moment in the Europa League final in 2017... but the young keeper learnt an important lesson that day. Fast forward to 2025, and the now 26-year-old keeper is as reliable as they come. Svilar has developed into one of the best shot-stoppers in Europe, and his impressive 7.1 average rating across the whole of 2025 is a testament to his progress.

Svilar has kept a staggering 19 clean sheets across 35 Serie A appearances in 2025, which is impressive in an AS Roma side that are far from dominant in Italy. Svilar has played a key role in keeping 13 matches 1-0 across 2025 and helping his side avoid dropping valuable points.

Throughout 2025, Svilar was the epitome of consistency, but he also delivered a few standout performances against Fiorentina in May and earlier this month against Cagliari.

Defence

Davinson Sanchez (Galatasaray) 7.3

It is fair to say that Davinson Sanchez's decision to leave the Premier League and Tottenham for the Super Lig and Galatasaray has been a resounding success. The commanding Colombian centre-back has won back-to-back league titles in Turkey and is playing a key role at the back this season as Galatasaray go strong in the Champions League.

2025 has been a great year for Sanchez as he has become one of the first names on the clean sheet for both club and country. He has seemingly gone from a defender capable of making the odd mistake to someone his teammates can rely on, as well as becoming a leader on the pitch.

Although usually known for his timely interceptions, pace, and timing tackles to perfection, Sanchez has also helped his side at the other end of the pitch with three goals and two assists in 2025.

The cherry on top is that he has won the player of the match award four times in the Turkish Super Lig since the turn of the year, highlighting just how high his performance level has been at times.

Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica) 7.6

Ever since Nicolas Otamendi left Manchester City for Benfica, the Argentine centre-back has been a crucial first-team starter. Having begun his career at Porto, Otamendi very quickly adjusted back to Portuguese football and played a central role in the club claiming the Liga Portugal title in the 2022/23 season.

It is also remarkable how he has reinvented his career after some people questioned whether he was finished at the top level in his final couple of seasons in the Premier League. If anything, Otamendi is maturing like a fine wine because at 37, he has had his best 12 months since joining Benfica in 2025.

After finishing the whole of the 2024/25 season with a 7.6 average rating, Otamendi is matching it again this season. The Argentina international is everything you would want from a captain, leading by example with commanding and faultless defensive performances.

After making Flashscore's 2024/24 Team of the Season earlier in the year, a strong end to this campaign will give Otamendi every chance of doing the same this time out.

Kai Wagner (Philadelphia Union) 7.7

Kai Wagner is a popular name in Philadelphia. The German defender joined Philadelphia Union in 2019 and has been a fantastic servant to the club ever since. The attacking left-back has consistently created goals for Union year after year, but it has been 2025 when his assists have translated to success for the club.

Wagner might have been providing similar numbers for a few years now but in 2025, he starred in a side that recorded 6-0 and 7-0 victories en route to winning the Eastern Conference.

11 assists in the regular season were followed by a 12th assist of the year in the playoffs as Wanger inspired Philadelphia to the quarter-finals of the MLS Cup.

It wasn't to be in the end for Wagner and Union as they lost over two legs to New York City in the last eight, but it was a memorable 2025 for the flying Deutsch-man.

Midfield

Michael Olise (Bayern Munich) 7.8

It has become a bit of a running joke on social media that Michael Olise doesn't show emotion or seem to care about anything. And it translates on the pitch, where he makes the game look effortless at times.

What Olise lacks in natural raw speed, he makes up for in speed of thought, world-class ball control and elite dribbling. He is the complete package for a wide man and has quickly become a vital member of one of Europe's most dangerous attacks.

After an electric debut season ended with Olise helping Bayern Munich back to the top of German football, the Frenchman has continued where he left off by scoring six goals and providing eight assists so far this Bundesliga campaign. What is impressive about his goalscoring numbers is that his xG for the season is 5.5 goals, so he is outperforming his expected goals.

And as you can see from the graphic below, most of his Bundesliga goals have come from positions where he actually has quite a low chance of scoring.

He has a unique ability to find space when it appears there isn't any, and can then score from unlikely angles and distances. Olise's stats, average rating of 7.8 and eye test all add up - there are a few more deserving of a spot in the Team of the Year.

Joey Veerman (PSV) 7.7

Any avid readers of our Team of the Week article will know Joey Veerman has featured a few times and is somewhat of a Flashscore ratings legend!

Veerman has had a 2025 to remember and this season in particular, the Dutch midfielder has been outstanding in PSV's midfield, adding more goals and assists to composed and measured performances.

His eight goals and nine assists in the Eredivisie in 2025 are impressive numbers for a central midfielder who is as responsible for preventing goals as he is scoring them.

Veerman's performances at the end of last season helped PSV dramatically win the Eredivisie title and his goal contributions this season have played a leading role in helping his side to a nine-point lead this campaign.

Pedri (Barcelona) (7.5)

Pedri is one of those players, a bit like Iniesta and Xavi before him, who you only need to watch one full 90 minutes of to know he is an elite midfielder.

The Spain international is world-class with the ball at his feet and his movement off the ball isn't bad either. His attacking returns might not be much to write home about (although five assists in LaLiga this season is far from underwhelming); however, there is so much more to his game that makes him a vital cog in Hansi Flick's unique system.

An eye for a pass, composure under intense pressure and ability to evade tackles with feint drops of the shoulder are all textbook Pedri traits.

After helping Barcelona to a brilliant domestic treble and the Champions League semi-finals at the end of last season, he has played a starring role in helping Barca open up a lead on arch-rivals Real Madrid in LaLiga this season.

Quite simply, Pedri is one of the best in the world in his position and is richly deserving of his place in this team.

Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) 7.8

Where do you even start with this teenage sensation? There aren't superlatives that do Lamine Yamal's sensational breakthrough year justice. In 2025, he went from one of football's hottest prospects to a worldwide superstar and runner-up at the Ballon d'Or.

He has delivered goals, assists and a fair share of moments that make the hairs on the back of your head stand up this season. However, it was the first half of 2025 and the end of last season when he was playing at the top of his game. The Spain international was a joy to watch, delivering in almost every big game as Barcelona won a domestic treble. He almost single-handedly sent Barcelona into the Champions League final, too, after inspired performances against Inter in two thrilling legs in the semi-finals.

14 goals and 12 assists in LaLiga in 2025 may not read like world-beating numbers, but consistently delivering goal contributions will come with time and maturity. Because he is already consistently delivering on the grandest stages and at 18, that is special.

As the above graphic also tells us, Lamine Yamal has been one of the best wide forwards in the world so far this season in almost every area. So if you don't want to take our word for it or his outrageous 7.8 average Flashscore rating, then you can take those stats to the bank.

Forwards

Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) 8.3

After completing football at the 2022 World Cup, it would have been easy for Lionel Messi to take his foot off the gas and wind down to retirement. After all the greatest of all time has achieved in the game, few would have blamed him. As the superhuman he is, though, the Argentine did not do that, and now, aged 38, he is still producing outrageous numbers in the MLS.

In 34 games this year, Messi has scored 35 goals and provided 28 assists. Those 63 goal contributions were critical in helping Inter Miami win the MLS Cup.

Time and time again, Messi has carried Miami on his shoulders just like he has done at times for Barcelona and Argentina. The little magician has made the MLS look incredibly easy and whilst it might not be the highest quality league, it is far better than Messi makes it look.

With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon in what is likely to be the last dance in the magician's illustrious career, 2025 has been a joyous year for his supporters to witness some Messi greatness while he is still playing. Because before you know it, his era will be over and all that will remain will be the memories of years like 2025, when he was in a league of his own.

Harry Kane (Bayern Munich) 7.8

Harry Kane's move to Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich has been a resounding success, and 2025 has not just been his best year since arriving in Germany but arguably the best of his career. Kane's numbers speak for themselves: 34 goals and seven assists in the Bundesliga in 2025 mean the England international has 41 goal contributions - that is what you call prolific.

Kane is also taking a lot of chances from positions that most players wouldn't be expected to score from. In the 2025/26 season so far, Kane has outperformed his xG of 13 with 19 goals from 15 appearances, and as you can see below, some of those strikes came from situations with incredibly low xG.

Aside from scoring for fun, Kane's goals at the end of the 2024/25 season helped Bayern Munich take back the Bundesliga crown from new rivals Bayer Leverkusen in what was the first major trophy of his career. It was a richly deserved moment of glory for one of the best forwards in the game over the last decade, as is his inclusion in our Team of the Year.

Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid) 7.6

Real Madrid might not have achieved everything they wanted to achieve in the 2024/25 season, and because of that, 2025 won't be regarded as the most successful season of Kylian Mbappe's career. However, on an individual level, he did have a very good debut season at Los Blancos and very quickly became their biggest goal threat.

In 2025, the French superstar equalled Cristiano Ronaldo's club record of 59 goals in a calendar year (in all competitions). Not a bad first full year at a club as big as Real Madrid.

Some might miss the elusive wide forward from a few years ago who terrorised full-backs with an electric turn of speed and silky skills. However, the Mbappe of 2025 is more in the mould of a Ronaldo or Erling Haaland, where his strengths are maximised to score goals and a lot of them.

Mbappe down the middle is so dangerous because he can run with the ball and score from unlikely angles with a rocket strike, or he can make darting runs in behind and when he does that, good luck catching him.

Real Madrid would certainly not be in a LaLiga title race without Mbappe's goals this season, and it speaks volumes to his brilliance that he has so quickly become the main man in a team littered with superstars.