Ballon d'Or holder Cristiano
Ronaldo and four-time winner
Lionel Messi are among 23 players
on FIFA's shortlist for this
year's award honouring the
world's top player.
The list was compiled by the FIFA
Football Committee with the help
of France Football. It will later be
trimmed to three finalists, with
the winner announced at a
ceremony in January.
Messi won the award four
straight years from 2009-2012,
while Ronaldo won it in 2008 and
2013. The award was presented
by solely by France Football until
2009, and the news outlet joined
with FIFA's Player of the Year
Award for the 2010 edition.
The list features 17 players from
Europe, five from South America
and one from Africa (Yaya Toure)
. World cup champions Germany
are the most represented with
six entries.
All of the candidates play their
club football in Europe, for only
eight different clubs, with Real
Madrid and Bayern Munich tied for
the most with six each, followed
by Barcelona with four.
Two goalkeepers were named to
the shortlist: Belgium's Thibaut
Courtois and Germany's Manuel
Neuer.
The shortlist:
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
FIFA also released the 10
candidates for the Coach of the
Year award.
It included Joachim Low and
Alejandro Sabella, the coaches of
World Cup finalists Germany and
Argentina, as well as the winners
of the domestic club leagues in
England (Maneul Pellegrini),
Germany (Pep Guardiola), Spain
(Diego Simeone) and Italy (Antonio
Conte).
The list:
Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid
Antonio Conte, Juventus/Italy
Pep Guardiola, Bayern Munich
Jurgen Klinsmann, United States
Joachim Low, Germany
Jose Mourinho, Chelsea
Manuel Pellegrini, Manchester City
Alejandro Sabella, Argentina
Diego Simeone, Atletico Madrid
Louis van Gaal, Netherlands/
Manchester United

but as for me this is the person that will win it