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

source: m.espn.go.com/soccer/story?storyId=2113523&top&wjb=