FIFA RELEASES 59-MAN LIST FOR  BALLON D’OR 

 

 

  World football governing body FIFA have snubbed Nigerian players for the umpteenth time in the race for football’s most coveted individual prize, the Ballon D’Or. However, in a widely reported leaked list, four African players were short-listed for the award‎ to be held in December. They include Manchester City’s Ivorien duo of Wilfred Bony and Yaya Toure and Ghana’s Christian Atsu and Andre Ayew.One of many surprises on this year’s shocking list is the inclusion of QPR midfielder Massimo Luongo, who spent last year at Swindon in League One. He was nominated for his exploits in the Asian Cup. Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney the only two English players listed while Real Madrid and Barcelona lead the way with seven players each. Juventus also boast six players on the list. THE 59-MAN BALLON D’OR LONG-LIST Claudio Bravo – Barcelona Javier Mascherano – Barcelona Andres Iniesta – Barcelona Lionel Messi – Barcelona Ivan Rakitic – Barcelona Neymar – Barcelona Luis Suarez – Barcelona Gareth Bale – Real Madrid Karim Benzema – Real Madrid Sergio Ramos – Real Madrid Cristiano Ronaldo – Real Madrid Luka Modric – Real Madrid James Rodriguez – Real Madrid Toni Kroos – Real Madrid Giorgio Chiellini – Juventus Paul Pogba – Juventus Alvaro Morata – Juventus Arturo Vidal – Juventus/Bayern Andrea Pirlo – Juventus/NYCFC Carlos Tevez – Juventus/Boca Robert Lewandowski – Bayern Arjen Robben – Bayern David Alaba – Bayern Thomas Muller – Bayern Manuel Neuer – Bayern Wilfried Bony – Manchester City Yaya Toure – Manchester City Sergio Aguero – Manchester City Nicolas Otamendi – valencia/Manchester City Kevin de Bruyne – Wolfsburg/Manchester City Diego Costa – Chelsea Willian – Chelsea Thibaut Courtois – Chelsea Eden Hazard – Chelsea Edinson Cavani – PSG Zlatan Ibrahimovic – PSG Javier Pastore – PSG Wayne Rooney – Manchester United David de Gea – Manchester United Memphis Depay – PSV/Manchester United David Ospina – Arsenal Alexis Sanchez – Arsenal Antoine Griezmann – Atletico Madrid Jackson Martinez – Porto/Atletico Madrid Carlos Bacca – Sevilla/AC Milan Giovani dos Santos – Villarreal/LA Galaxy Phillippe Coutinho – Liverpool Son Heung-Min – Leverkusen/Tottenham Christian Atsu – Everton/Bournemouth Paolo Guerrero – Flamengo/Corinthians Eduardo Vargas – QPR/Hoffenheim Gary Medel – Inter Harry Kane – Tottenham Alexandre Lacazette – Lyon Andres Guardado – PSV Carlos Sanchez – River Plate Andre Ayew – Marseille/Swansea Massimo Luongo – Swindon/QPR Shinji Okazaki – Mainz/Leicester