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FIFA announced a 23-man shortlist for the 2014 Ballon d’Or award with the shock exclusion of joint European Golden Boot winner Luis Suarez. The Barcelona forward scored 31 goals for Liverpool last season but it seems his four-month ban for biting opposition player Giorgio Chiellini during the FIFA World Cup went against the Uruguayan.
The 27-year-old whose ban ended just in time for him to make his debut for new side Barcelona in the El Clasico was the standout performer in the Premier League last season. He shared the European Golden Boot with Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo himself is the overwhelming favourite to win his second cosnecutive and third overall Ballon d’Or award. The last six awards have been won either by him or his rival Lionel Messi.
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As expected, the list is dominated by players from Germany’s World Cup winning squad. Six members from the team make it to the list. As many as five Premier League stars -Thibault Courtois, Diego Costa, Eden Hazard, Angel Di Maria and Yaya Toure have been included.
Here is the full list of players (in alphabetical order) competing for the coveted award:
Gareth Bale (Wales), Karim Benzema (France), Diego Costa (Spain), Thibaut Courtois (Belgium), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Angel Di Maria (Argentina), Mario Goetze (Germany), Eden Hazard (Belgium), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden), Andres Iniesta (Spain), Toni Kroos (Germany), Philipp Lahm (Germany), Javier Mascherano (Argentina), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Thomas Mueller (Germany), Manuel Neuer (Germany), Neymar (Brazil), Paul Pogba (France), Sergio Ramos (Spain), Arjen Robben (Netherlands), James Rodriguez (Colombia), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), Yaya Toure (Côte d’Ivoire).
Players from only eight European football clubs have made it. Champions League winners Real Madrid and Bayern Munich boast of six players each, Barcelona have four, Chelsea have three, and Manchester United, Juventus and Man City have one each.
The nominations for coach of the Year were also announced by FIFA. A surprise inclusion in this list is Jurgen Klinsmann:
Carlo Ancelotti (Italy/Real Madrid CF), Antonio Conte (Italy/Juventus FC/Italy national team), Pep Guardiola (Spain/FC Bayern Munich), Juergen Klinsmann (Germany/ USA national team), Joachim Loew (Germany/Germany national team), Jose Mourinho (Portugal/Chelsea FC), Manuel Pellegrini (Chile/Manchester City FC), Alejandro Sabella (Argentina/Argentina national team), Diego Simeone (Argentina/Atletico Madrid), Louis van Gaal (Netherlands/Netherlands national team/Manchester United FC).
You can check the shortlist for the Women’s award here. The ceremony will take place on January 12, 2015 in Zurich
