Achraf Hakimi and Ghizlane Chebbak have both been named among the finalists for the 2026 FIFPRO World 11, but the Moroccan pair’s selections carry very different weight.

Hakimi’s inclusion in the men’s shortlist appears an obvious one. The Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco defender is one of 26 finalists after receiving enough votes from professional players, while Chebbak has also reached the equivalent stage in the women’s award.

The final men’s and women’s World 11 teams will be announced on 9 November. Neither player has yet secured a place in the finished line-up.

For Hakimi, the nomination reflects his standing among the world’s leading right-backs. His energy, attacking contribution and consistency have made him an important figure for both Paris Saint-Germain and the Lions of the Atlas.

He is one of eight defenders shortlisted and the only right-back on the list. The result came from a vote involving 19,806 players, and gives Hakimi a realistic chance of making the final team.

The nomination further underlines how his reputation has developed. Hakimi is no longer considered only among the best African players in Europe; he is now being assessed alongside the leading footballers in the world. His 13th-place finish in the 2026 Ballon d’Or is another indication of his current status.

Chebbak’s selection is less straightforward. The captain is a landmark figure in Moroccan women’s football, with a distinguished career behind her, and she made the FIFPRO World 11 for the first time in 2025.

However, the 2026 award covers performances between August 2025 and August 2026. During that period, Chebbak played for Al-Hilal before returning to AS FAR in September, but her season was not as influential as her nomination might suggest.

Her contribution at the most recent Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, held in Morocco, illustrates the question surrounding her inclusion. Chebbak was a substitute for Morocco’s opening two matches, played four games in total and featured for about 250 minutes. She scored no goals and provided no assists as the Lionesses finished fourth after losing two successive matches on penalties.

That record contrasts sharply with her performance at the previous Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in 2025, when she was the tournament’s leading scorer with five goals and was selected in the team of the tournament.

Even so, Chebbak was included among the seven midfielders chosen by 6,511 voters in the women’s ballot.

The decision is harder to understand given the absence of Temwa and Tabitha Chawinga. Temwa helped Malawi reach the Africa Cup of Nations final and finished 10th in the 2026 women’s Ballon d’Or, the highest position ever achieved by an African player.

There is a positional distinction: Chebbak was considered as a midfielder, while the Chawinga sisters were competing among forwards, where the contest is particularly strong. They were therefore not directly competing for the same places.

The World 11 is decided by players, but peer voting can reward an established reputation as much as a single season. For Hakimi, the recognition follows naturally. For Chebbak, her name appears to have carried greater influence.