FIFA have released the 23-man shortlist for the 2015 Ballon d’Or.
Four-time winner Lionel Messi and current Ballon d’Or holder Cristiano Ronaldo both lead the list, Gareth Bale has earned a nomination for his performances with Real Madrid and Wales. FIFA have also released the shortlist for World Coach of the Year for Men’s football.
The final vote to find a winner will be decided by captains and head coaches of each men’s national team and international media representatives.
The winner will be announced in Zurich on January 11, 2016.
Earlier this year, Ronaldo received the award for the second straight time, beating the likes of Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer.
Full list of Ballon d’Or nominees:
Sergio Aguero (Argentina/Manchester City) Gareth Bale (Wales/Real Madrid) Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid) Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid) Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/VfL Wolfsburg/Manchester City) Eden Hazard (Belgium/Chelsea) Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden/Paris Saint-Germain) Andres 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) Thomas Muller (Germany/FC Bayern Munich) Manuel Neuer (Germany/FC Bayern Munich) Neymar (Brazil/FC Barcelona) Paul Pogba (France/Juventus) Ivan Rakitic; (Croatia/FC Barcelona) Arjen Robben (Netherlands/FC Bayern Munich) James Rodriguez (Colombia/Real Madrid) Alexis Sanchez (Chile/Arsenal) Luis Suarez (Uruguay/FC Barcelona) Yaya Toure (Cote d’Ivoire/Manchester City) Arturo Vidal (Chile/Juventus/FC Bayern Munich)
World Coach of the Year nominees:
Massimiliano Allegri (Italy/Juventus) Carlo Ancelotti (Italy/Real Madrid) Laurent Blanc (France/Paris Saint-Germain) Unai Emery (Spain/Sevilla FC) Pep Guardiola (Spain/FC Bayern Munich) Luis Enrique Martinez (Spain/FC Barcelona) Jose Mourinho (Portugal/Chelsea) Jorge Sampaoli (Argentina/Chilean national team) Diego Simeone (Argentina/Atletico Madrid) Arsene Wenger (France/Arsenal)
