The annual who’d win a fight contest.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, or Superman?
The Ballon d’Or shortlist has been revealed and it comes as no surprise that Portugal and Argentina’s finest are among the nominees. It might shock you to learn that there are as many as 21 other names on the list.
Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller and Luis Suarez all lead the way for the pretenders not even 10 months after Ronaldo won his third gong back in January.
It’s probably telling that the full short/long list includes 5 players based in the Premier League (Sergio Aguero, Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard, Alexis Sanchez and Yaya Toure), but only one British player – Gareth Bale.
The full list is below:
Ballon d’Or nominees:
Sergio Aguero (Argentina/Manchester City)
Gareth Bale (Wales/Real Madrid)
Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid)
Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/VfL Wolfsburg/Manchester City)
Eden Hazard (Belgium/Chelsea)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden/Paris Saint-Germain)
Andres Iniesta (Spain/FC Barcelona)
Toni Kroos (Germany/Real Madrid)
Robert Lewandowski (Poland/FC Bayern Munich)
Javier Mascherano (Argentina/FC Barcelona)
Lionel Messi (Argentina/FC Barcelona)
Thomas Muller (Germany/FC Bayern Munich)
Manuel Neuer (Germany/FC Bayern Munich)
Neymar (Brazil/FC Barcelona)
Paul Pogba (France/Juventus)
Ivan Rakitic; (Croatia/FC Barcelona)
Arjen Robben (Netherlands/FC Bayern Munich)
James Rodriguez (Colombia/Real Madrid)
Alexis Sanchez (Chile/Arsenal)
Luis Suarez (Uruguay/FC Barcelona)
Yaya Toure (Cote d’Ivoire/Manchester City)
Arturo Vidal (Chile/Juventus/FC Bayern Munich)
