The 23 Players Shortlisted For The Ballon D'Or

The two have shared the last seven Ballon D’Or usually awarded in January which according to FIFA is given to the best player

between November 2014 and November 2015. The 23 man list was culled from a previous list of 53 players . The voting period for the awards commences on 26 October 2015 and closes on 20 November 2015.

All 23 nominees play in Europe, with La Liga having 11brepresentatives, five in the Premier League, five in the Bundesliga

and just the one nomination from both Ligue 1 and Serie A.

The list in full;

Sergio Agüero (Argentina/Manchester City), Gareth Bale (Wales/ Real Madrid), Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid), Cristiano

Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid), Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/VfLWolfsburg/Manchester City), Eden Hazard (Belgium/Chelsea), Zlatan Ibrahimović (Sweden/Paris Saint-Germain), Andrés Iniesta (Spain/

FC Barcelona), Toni Kroos (Germany/Real Madrid), Robert Lewandowski (Poland/FC Bayern Munich), Javier Mascherano

(Argentina/FC Barcelona), Lionel Messi (Argentina/FC Barcelona).

Others are; Thomas Müller (Germany/FC Bayern Munich), Manuel Neuer (Germany/FC Bayern Munich), Neymar (Brazil/FC Barcelona), Paul Pogba (France/Juventus), Ivan Rakitić (Croatia/FC Barcelona), Arjen Robben (Netherlands/FC Bayern Munich), James Rodríguez

(Colombia/Real Madrid), Alexis Sánchez (Chile/Arsenal), Luis Suárez (Uruguay/FC Barcelona), Yaya Touré (Côte d’Ivoire/Manchestercity), Arturo Vidal (Chile/Juventus/FC Bayern Munich).

The following women have been nominated for the Ballon D’Or;

Nadine Angerer (Germany/Brisbane Roar/Portland Thorns), Ramona

Bachmann (Switzerland/FC Rosengård), Kadeisha Buchanan (Canada/

West Virginia University), Amandine Henry (France/Olympique

Lyonnais).

Others are Eugénie Le Sommer (France/Olympique Lyonnais), Carli

Lloyd (USA/Houston Dash), Aya Miyama (Japan/Okayama Yunogo

Belle), Megan Rapinoe (USA/Seattle Reign), Célia Šašić

(Germany/1.FFC Frankfurt), Hope Solo (USA/Seattle Reign).

On 30 November, FIFA will announce the three man shortlist for

the awards. The winner of the award will be announced on 11

January 2016.