October 29- Gareth Bale, the world’s most expensive footballer, has been named among the candidates for Fifa’s prestigious world player of the year award – along with several regular names.
Real Madrid’s Welsh forward, who cost £85m from Tottenham Hotspur, is still struggling to reach full fitness and has not yet slotted into the Real team but his exploits last season have won him a spot among the 23 Ballon d’Or candidates ahead of the annual FIFA gala in Zurich on January 13.
The final decisions will be made by the captains and head coaches of the men’s national teams as well as by international media representatives selected by France Football magazine.
The current strength of the Bundesliga is reflected by the fact that it has seven nominees, with six each from La Liga in Spain the English Premier League.
Other awards at the star-studded gala will include the FIFPro World XI, the FIFA Puskás Award – for the most beautiful goal of the year – the FIFA Presidential Award and the FIFA Fair Play prize.
Men’s shortlists for the FIFA Ballon d’Or 2013:
Gareth Bale (Wales), Edinson Cavani (Uruguay), Radamel Falcao (Colombia), Eden Hazard (Belgium), Zlatan Ibrahimović (Sweden), Andrés Iniesta (Spain), Philipp Lahm (Germany), Robert Lewandowski (Poland), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Thomas Müller (Germany), Manuel Neuer (Germany), Neymar (Brazil), Mesut Özil (Germany), Andrea Pirlo (Italy), Franck Ribéry (France), Arjen Robben (Netherlands), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), Luis Suárez (Uruguay), Thiago Silva (Brazil), Yaya Touré (Côte d’Ivoire), Robin Van Persie (Netherlands), Xavi (Spain).
The following 10 are in contention for the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Men’s Football 2013:
Carlo Ancelotti (Italy/Paris Saint-Germain/Real Madrid, Rafael Benítez (Spain/Chelsea/Napoli), Antonio Conte (Italy/Juventus), Vicente Del Bosque (Spain/Spanish national team), Sir Alex Ferguson (Scotland/Manchester United former coach), Jupp Heynckes (Germany/Bayern Munich former coach), Jürgen Klopp (Germany/Borussia Dortmund), José Mourinho (Portugal/Real Madrid /Chelsea), Luiz Felipe Scolari (Brazil/Brazil national team), Arsène Wenger (France/Arsenal).
In early December, FIFA and France Football will announce the names of the three men and three women, as well as the three coaches for women’s football and three coaches for men’s football, who have received the most votes (without unveiling the winners).