October 28 – Six Real Madrid players are on the 23-man shortlist for this year’s Ballon d’Or FIFA World Player of the Year award.
Bayern Munich also have six players on the list which will be reduced to three in December before the winner is announced on January 12 at the annual FIFA Gala in Zurich
Cristiano Ronaldo is among the favourites to retain his award, along of course with Lionel Messi, but there is no place for Barcelona striker Luis Suarez, who was barred from football for four months for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup.
World Cup winners Germany have the most national team players nominated with six, with Spain and Argentina having three each.
Carlo Ancelotti, who led Real Madrid to Champions League glory last season, has been nominated for the coach of the year award on a 10-man list alongside Germany’s World Cup winning coach Joachim Low.
FIFA world men’s player of the year shortlist: Gareth Bale (Wales, Real Madrid), Karim Benzema (France, Real Madrid), Diego Costa (Spain, Chelsea), Thibaut Courtois (Belgium, Chelsea), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Real Madrid), Angel Di Maria (Argentina, Manchester United), Mario Gotze (Germany, Bayern Munich), Eden Hazard (Belgium, Chelsea), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden, Paris St-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), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany, Bayern Munich), Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast, Manchester City).
FIFA coach of the year shortlist: Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid), Antonio Conte (Juventus/Italy national team), Pep Guardiola (Bayern Munich), Jurgen Klinsmann (USA national team), Joachim Low (Germany national team), Jose Mourinho (Chelsea), Manuel Pellegrini (Manchester City), Alejandro Sabella (Argentina national team), Diego Simeone (Atletico Madrid), Louis van Gaal (Netherlands national team/Manchester United).
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