Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi Top FIFA's Ballon d'Or Shortlist
The usual suspects.
The world’s two best footballers have unsurprisingly topped FIFA’s Ballon d’Or shortlist for 2015. The prestigious accolade, awarded to the world’s best footballer within a calendar year, has been won by Cristiano Ronaldo three times previously and Messi four times. Check out the 23-man-strong shortlist below and keep an eye out for the winner announced on January 11 in Zurich.
Shortlist: Sergio Agüero (Argentina/Manchester City), Gareth Bale (Wales/Real Madrid), Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid), Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/Manchester City), Eden Hazard (Belgium/Chelsea), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden/Paris Saint-Germain), Andrés Iniesta (Spain/Barcelona), Toni Kroos (Germany/Real Madrid), Robert Lewandowski (Poland/Bayern Munich), Javier Mascherano (Argentina/Barcelona), Lionel Messi (Argentina/Barcelona), Thomas Müller (Germany/Bayern Munich), Manuel Neuer (Germany/Bayern Munich), Neymar (Brazil/Barcelona), Paul Pogba (France/Juventus), Ivan Rakitic (Croatia/Barcelona), Arjen Robben (Netherlands/Bayern Munich), James Rodríguez (Colombia/Real Madrid), Alexis Sánchez (Chile/Arsenal), Luis Suárez (Uruguay/Barcelona), Yaya Touré (Ivory Coast/Manchester City), Arturo Vidal (Chile/Bayern Munich).
