Updated at 18.30
FIVE-TIME WINNER Lionel Messi and Barcelona team-mates Neymar and Luis Suarez are among 30-man shortlist announced by France Football for this year’s Ballon d’Or.
29-year-old forward Messi helped Barcelona to a domestic double in Spain this season but missed out on Copa America Centenario glory with Argentina, while rival Cristiano Ronaldo’s success in the Champions League with Real Madrid and at Euro 2016 with Portugal has established him as favourite to usurp Messi this time around.
Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy enjoy their first nominations, having inspired Leicester City to a remarkable Premier League title triumph with displays that secured the Algerian international the PFA Player of the Year award in England.
Tottenham and France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is included despite a season of near misses at club and international level last season, while Manchester United stopper David De Gea misses out.
His team-mates Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba feature, however, as does West Ham and France attacker Dimitri Payet.
Thomas Mueller is shortlisted for the sixth time in seven years after Bayern Munich continued their dominance of German football and Croatia midfielder Luka Modric is the latest of Real Madrid’s Champions League winners to be recognised.
The shortlist for the Ballon d’Or – which is back under the sole auspice of France Football this year following a split with Fifa – was revealed in alphabetical five-man groups throughout the day.
The full list: Sergio Aguero (Man City), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund), Gareth Bale (Real Madrid), Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Kevin De Bruyne (Man City), Paulo Dybala (Juventus), Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid), Gonzalo Higuain (Juventus), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Man United), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Koke (Atletico Madrid), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Riya Mahrez (Leicester City), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Thomas Mueller (Bayern Munich), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Neymar (Barcelona), Dimitri Payet (West Ham), Pepe (Real Madrid), Paul Pogba (Man United), Rio Patricio (Sporting), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Luis Suarez (Barcelona), Jamie Vardy (Leicester City), Arturo Vidal (Bayern Munich).
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Astonishing how a player of Aguero’s quality is recognised globally when he’s nominated for Ballon D’or and yet in England they have never had a place for him in the PFA team of the year
Because he plays about ten games a season (slight exaggeration).
Think it will be between Suarez and Ronaldo
The snub of Jeff Hendrick is surprising, but the Balllon d’Or is very political.
Lloris and Neuer but no de gea??
@Conor: Neuer is obviously better but Loris is maybe top 5 in Premiership keepers.
They put in Paul pogba but no ozil and no sanchez??!!
Get your money on Cristiano.
He’s a shoo in this year.
Champions League and European Championship winner. Something wrong if he doesn’t win it on merit.
It always surprises me how underrated Courinho is on a world stage, as a Liverpool fan it makes me happy, but he’s an incredible footballer. Should definitely be on the list somewhere
If he can wipe out the inconsistency that he displayed at times last year, and Liverpool have a decent go at the league, he will be on that list next year.
Coutinho is a flash in the pan. One good match and ten were he does nothing
Rons he’ll be off to France in the summer , easier league probably suit him better.
He’s had plenty of good matches this season he’ll be on next years list, as a Liverpool player.
@The Boogeyman:
The Pool haven’t won anything.
If one would check the stats this should be a two horse race between Messi and Suarez. Hopefully the latter gets it
But its not the best stats award. Ronaldo hockeyed both of these guys on stats the previous year, but the award was rightly given to Messi based on his influence in his team’s acheivements that year. And the same should be done this year.
Rio Patrício?
He was pretty good at the Euros.
One would expect the worlds most expensive player to be included in that list
Pogba was bought for his commercial power – not his footballing skills
Ok we all get it you don’t like pogba.. move on and get a life..
lol Damien that’s the first I heard of that
He is Alan along with Ibra , how many pool players are on the list ???
Neeneee you say you deal in facts all the time. You just been dealt a fact ! Is your phone broken or coverage down now ?
What fact is that Steve?
Too much emphasis put on these awards but that’s only my opinion.