A 23-men shortlist for the FIFA Ballon d’Or for Men’s Football awards have been unveiled by FIFA.
Ballon d’Or holder Cristiano Ronaldo and four-time winner Lionel Messi are among the 23 players on FIFA’s shortlist for this year’s award honouring the world’s top player, while Luis Suarez has been left off from the shortlist.
The final decisions will be made by the head coaches and Captains of the men’s national teams as well as by international media representatives selected by France Football.
The 23-Men Shortlist for FIFA Ballon d’Or 2014 :
Gareth Bale, Wales, Real Madrid
Karim Benzema, France, Real Madrid
Diego Costa, Spain, Chelsea
Thibaut Courtois, Belgium, Chelsea
Angel Di Maria, Argentina, Manchester United
Mario Gotze, Germany, Bayern Munich
Eden Hazard, Belgium, Chelsea
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Sweden, Paris Saint-Germain
Andres Iniesta, Spain, Barcelona
Toni Kroos, Germany, Real Madrid
Philipp Lahm, Germany, Bayern Munich
Javier Mascherano, Argentina, Barcelona
Lionel Messi, Argentina, Barcelona
Thomas Muller, Germany, Bayern Munich
Manuel Neuer, Germany, Bayern Munich
Neymar, Brazil, Barcelona
Paul Pogba, France, Juventus
Sergio Ramos, Spain, Real Madrid
Arjen Robben, Netherlands, Bayern Munich
James Rodriguez, Colombia, Real Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal, Real Madrid
Bastian Schweinsteiger, Germany, Bayern Munich
Yaya Toure, Ivory Coast, Manchester City
This list will be reduced to three players, being announced On 1st December by FIFA in a live show, where the names of the three women and three men, as well as the three coaches for women’s football and three coaches for men’s football, who have received the most votes will be unveiled (without unveiling the winners).
From the final shortlists for Ballon d’Or, national Captains, coaches and journalists will vote for the winner of the FIFA Ballon d’Or.
The winners of the FIFA Ballon d’Or awards will be revealed at the gala as part of a televised show at the Zurich Kongresshaus on 12 January 2015, during which the FIFA FIFPro World XI, the FIFA Puskás Award – for the most beautiful goal of the year – the FIFA Presidential Award and the FIFA Fair Play Award will also be presented.