Missing XI — Daily Classic Football Lineup Mystery
Loading today's match...
How Missing XI works
Missing XI is a daily classic football lineup mystery — ten of eleven starters from a historic final are revealed on the team card. One slot is hidden. You have three tries to name the missing player. Every match in our rotation is a real final with a real lineup; the game is the same for every player worldwide on a given date, so results are directly shareable.
A curated library of 15 historic finals — 9 UEFA Champions League Finals, 4 FIFA World Cup Finals, and 2 UEFA Euro Finals. Every one of the 165 canonical lineup slots is mapped to a real player in our 773-player database (165/165 coverage). The rotation spans 2010–2023.
Maintained by the PlayFutbol Data Team · First puzzle published January 2025 · Last audited June 9, 2026.
How to play in 4 steps
- 1
Read the match card
Every puzzle opens with the competition, date, formation, and final score. The 11-man starting lineup is laid out by row — GK, defence, midfield, attack.
- 2
Spot the gold slot
One slot pulses gold with a "?" marker — that is the missing starter. The position alone is your biggest first clue.
- 3
Guess and read the hint drip
After miss #1 we reveal the hidden player's position. After miss #2 we reveal their nationality. These hints compound — use them with the rest of the lineup for context.
- 4
Finish in three attempts
Three tries total. Skipping counts as a loss and resets your streak, so only skip if you genuinely do not recognise the match.
The match library
Every Missing XI puzzle pulls from this rotation of 15 classic finals. The match shown on any given day is seeded by the date — the same puzzle for every player worldwide.
| Match | Competition | Date | Formation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester City's 2023 Champions League Final starting XI | UEFA Champions League Final | 2023-06-10 | 3-2-4-1 |
| Inter Milan's 2023 Champions League Final starting XI | UEFA Champions League Final | 2023-06-10 | 3-5-2 |
| Argentina's 2022 World Cup Final starting XI | FIFA World Cup Final | 2022-12-18 | 4-3-3 |
| Real Madrid's 2022 Champions League Final starting XI | UEFA Champions League Final | 2022-05-28 | 4-3-3 |
| Italy's Euro 2020 Final starting XI | UEFA Euro Final | 2021-07-11 | 4-3-3 |
| England's Euro 2020 Final starting XI | UEFA Euro Final | 2021-07-11 | 3-4-3 |
| Chelsea's 2021 Champions League Final starting XI | UEFA Champions League Final | 2021-05-29 | 3-4-3 |
| Bayern Munich's 2020 Champions League Final starting XI | UEFA Champions League Final | 2020-08-23 | 4-3-3 |
| PSG's 2020 Champions League Final starting XI | UEFA Champions League Final | 2020-08-23 | 4-3-3 |
| Liverpool's 2019 Champions League Final starting XI | UEFA Champions League Final | 2019-06-01 | 4-3-3 |
| France's 2018 World Cup Final starting XI | FIFA World Cup Final | 2018-07-15 | 4-3-3 |
| Real Madrid's 2018 Champions League Final starting XI | UEFA Champions League Final | 2018-05-26 | 4-3-3 |
| Germany's 2014 World Cup Final starting XI | FIFA World Cup Final | 2014-07-13 | 4-3-3 |
| Barcelona's 2011 Champions League Final starting XI | UEFA Champions League Final | 2011-05-28 | 4-3-3 |
| Spain's 2010 World Cup Final starting XI | FIFA World Cup Final | 2010-07-11 | 4-2-3-1 |
New classic finals are added periodically. Check back, or play past days via the archive.
Hint system: warmer, colder, closer
Missing XI drip-feeds hints so the puzzle stays solvable even when the match is unfamiliar. Here is exactly what each miss reveals.
After miss #1 — Position revealed
The hidden slot's row (GK / DEF / MID / FWD) becomes explicit. Often enough to narrow the candidate pool to three or four obvious names on any well-known final.
After miss #2 — Nationality revealed
The player's country joins the pool. With position and nationality combined, most hidden slots have a single plausible candidate in our 773-player database.
After miss #3 — Initials revealed
First and last initials drop — but this is your final attempt. After this third miss the full name is revealed, the streak resets, and the result card is ready to share.
How to name the missing eleventh
- 1. Identify the match first. The ten shown players almost always pin down one specific final — get the game, and the gap falls into place.
- 2. Read the formation. The position of the empty slot tells you the missing player's role, narrowing the candidates fast.
- 3. Recall the famous XI. Iconic finals have iconic line-ups; once you place the match, the eleventh name is often a memory test, not a guess.
- 4. Cross-check nationality and club. The ten visible players confirm the team and era — make sure your answer fits both before you commit.
- 5. Mind both sides. Some finals appear from the winners' and the losers' XI; the card tells you which team you are completing.
A worked example
The card shows ten players and a gap at centre-forward. The visible names — a famous goalkeeper, a recognisable back line, a midfield you know — point to one specific Champions League final. Place the match, picture the team that started it, and the missing striker is the one face your memory supplies. The formation slot does half the work; recall does the rest.
About the authors
Missing XI is maintained by the PlayFutbol Data Team — a small group tracking classic football lineups since January 2025. Starting XIs are cross-referenced against official match reports from FIFA, UEFA, and club sources, with player names verified against Transfermarkt and Wikipedia. We add new finals periodically; nothing is AI-generated.
Report a lineup correction: data@playfutbol.app
Frequently asked questions
Is Missing XI the same as Missing 11?
Yes — the XI in our name is the Roman numeral for 11. Everything you'll read about a missing-11 football game applies here. We use XI because classic lineups have always been written that way on team sheets.
How many tries do I get in Missing XI?
Three. After each miss we add a hint — first the hidden slot position, then the player nationality, then their initials on the final attempt.
Which matches are in the rotation?
Fifteen historic finals as of April 2026 — 4 FIFA World Cup Finals (2010, 2014, 2018, 2022), 9 UEFA Champions League Finals (2011, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023), and 2 UEFA Euro Finals (both 2021). Browse the full match library table above.
How are the hints given out?
After miss #1 we reveal the missing player's position. After miss #2 we reveal their nationality. After miss #3 the game ends with initials shown — if you got it wrong, the answer is revealed.
Can I replay past matches?
Yes — the archive lists every past puzzle date. Each archive play is a standalone solve and does not affect your current streak.
Is the same hidden player shown to everyone?
Yes. A seeded generator picks the same match and the same hidden slot for every player worldwide on any given date. Results are directly comparable.
Do I need to guess the exact name spelling?
No. The search box is fuzzy and matches against our 773-player database. It handles diacritics automatically — typing "modric" will find Luka Modrić.
What happens after my 3rd miss?
The answer is revealed and the match card shows the full lineup. Your streak resets, but you can still share the result and come back tomorrow.
Are both winners and losers of finals included?
Yes. Our library includes both sides of some iconic finals — both Bayern (winners) and PSG (losers) of the 2020 UCL Final, both Manchester City (winners) and Inter Milan (losers) of the 2023 UCL Final, and both Italy and England from Euro 2020. The game explicitly tells you which team's XI is on the card.
What is the best strategy for Missing XI?
Identify the match first. The ten visible players usually pin down one specific final, and once you know the game and the formation, the gap in the line-up tells you which role — and often which exact player — is missing.
How do I work out who is missing?
Use the position of the empty slot in the formation, then recall the famous starting XI. Cross-check the nationalities and clubs of the ten shown players to confirm you have the right match before you guess.
How is Missing XI different from Futbol 11?
Futbol 11 asks you to build a starting eleven from eleven different countries; Missing XI shows you a real classic-final line-up with one player hidden and asks you to name the eleventh.
How does it compare to Starting 11 or Squadle?
Those ask you to reconstruct a whole line-up. Missing XI shows ten of the eleven and hides just one, so it is a quicker, more focused recall puzzle with a single answer.
Can I play Missing XI on mobile?
Yes. It is a responsive web game — no download — that works on phones, tablets and desktops.
Is Missing XI free?
Yes. No signup, no paywall, no ads inside the game flow.
Related daily football games
- Futbol Grid — 3×3 daily grid. Match players to clubs and countries.
- Career Path — follow a mystery player's chain of club crests and name them.
- Futbol Wordle — guess a footballer by surname letters or by profile attributes.
Missing XI is maintained by the PlayFutbol Data Team · 15 classic finals · 165/165 lineup slots verified · Last audited June 9, 2026 · Report corrections at support@playfutbol.app.