10 players who missed out on the 23-man shortlist for the Ballon d'Or 2014

The 23-man list for the 2014 Ballon d’Or was announced recently. Most of the players who are there were expected to be there, but there were some notable absentees from the list which surprised a lot of people. With a lot of prestige and honour at stake, these nominations mean a lot to the players, especially in a World Cup year.Here is a list of 10 players who were expected to qualify but missed out on being shortlisted for the highest individual honour in World football.

#10 Daniel Sturridge

Along with Luis Suarez, another surprise exclusion from the list, was Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge. He was just as instrumental as Suarez in determining Liverpool's success last season.

He always posed a threat going forward and scored a lot of goals for Liverpool last season. Suarez and Sturridge were considered to be one of the top striker duos in Europe last season because of the amount of goals and the threat they posed to other teams. Sturridge’s absence due to injury is definitely being felt right now as Liverpool have been in some sort of a rut this season.

Sturridge was on target in the World Cup as well for a disappointing England side, as he scored one of the two goals they managed in the tournament – his goal coming against Italy.

#9 Diego Godin

Atletico Madrid’s Diego Godin was very influential in their title winning success last season. He started 51 games in all competitions and scored the crucial equaliser in their final game away at Barcelona to secure the draw that Diego Simeone's side needed to clinch the La Liga title.

He also played a key role in their run to the Champions League Final, scoring the opener against Real Madrid in their eventual 4-1 defeat. His performances in the World Cup were also very good, as he scored the match winning goal against Italy that secured Uruguay’s progress to the knockout stages.

#8 Alexis Sanchez

Alexis Sanchez was undoubtedly Chile’s best player at the 2014 World Cup, especially in the game against the hosts Brazil. Chile performed exceptionally well in this year’s world cup in Brazil, and Sanchez was key to their success.

Sanchez had a good season with Barcelona as well, scoring 19 goals from 34 appearances in La Liga, before moving to Arsenal in the summer.

He has probably been Arsenal’s best player till now this season. The Chilean gives a lot for the team and not just in an attacking sense, he also creates space for others and helps out defensively as well. He is a top player and has already made a big difference with his intelligence.

#7 Arda Turan

Another player from Atletico who missed out on being in the final list of contenders for the 2014 Ballon d’Or is Turkey’s Arda Turan.

Along with Diego Godin, Turan was another player who was instrumental in Atletico’s title winning success of last season. He scored goals, provided assists, tracked back when needed, and provided width in midfield. All in all, he was a complete player for the Spanish side as he made 46 appearances in all competitions during the 2013-14 season, scoring nine goals.

A brilliant dribbler in tight spaces with an eye for the killer pass, Arda is also a tireless worker off the ball, and a brilliant playmaker coming inside from the wing.

#6 Arturo Vidal

Another notable and surprise exclusion from the 23 man list is Juventus’ Arturo Vidal. The only reason why he didn't make the cut was because of his injury which made him miss out on some action last season including some matches at the World Cup.

Arturo Vidal was expected to be in the FifPro XI of 2013 but missed out, which raised a lot of questions about the selection committee’s decision. The Chilean is Juventus' crown jewel, even ahead of Paul Pogba in the adoring eyes of the fans, and had a year to remember in 2013 for both club and country.

Vidal was expected to move to Manchester United this season, but did not do so and continues to play for Serie A team alongside Pogba in midfield.

#5 Mats Hummels

For his brilliant performance for Germany in the 2014 World Cup and at the club level for Borussia Dortmund, Mats Hummels is one player who really should have been included in the list for the contenders for the Ballon d’Or this year.

He has had a lot of success over the past 1 year, and his performances in the World Cup were noted by everyone, especially his ability to shut out Messi in the final of the World Cup. He has even been hailed as the most complete defender in today’s world with the ability to tackle, superb ball skills and good goalscoring ability.

Hummels is being chased by a lot of top clubs in Europe right now. But for now, he continues to be instrumental for Borussia Dortmund.

#4 Marco Reus

Another big surprise was the exclusion of midfield sensation Marco Reus from the list of the contenders for the FIFA Ballon d’Or for 2014. Marco Reus was sensational for Borussia Dortmund last season and was their best player.

The reason why Marco Reus was not included in the list was probably because of his absence from this year’s World Cup due to an injury. But his performances last season, and whatever he has played in so far this season, really should have got him a place on the list.

The German, who is known for his versatility, speed and technique has been a threat to teams around the world, which is why all the big teams in Europe are looking for his signature, but he continues to play for Dortmund at the moment. He scored a total of 23 goals from 43 appearances last season for Dortmund.

#3 Sergio Aguero

Sergio Aguero had been arguably the best player for Manchester City in the past 2 seasons and was massively involved in both their league victories, in 2011-12, and 2013-14.

Even though he was injured for about a quarter of last season, he managed to score 17 goals from 23 appearances and put in a lot of match winning performances as City lifted the title for the second time in 3 years.

He has started this season brilliantly, recently putting 4 past Tottenham in their 4-1 victory over Spurs. If City are to challenge for the title again this season, Sergio Aguero is surely needed to be up there amongst the goals and is going to be instrumental in City’s success this season, which is why his exclusion from the list is quite surprising.

#2 Luka Modric

After Luis Suarez, Luka Modric was the most notable exclusion from the 23 contenders for the FIFA Ballon d’Or award for 2014.

Luka Modric was one of the best players for Real Madrid last season. He took time to adjust in the 2012-13 season, and people dubbed him as a big money flop. But he bounced back in the 2013-14 season with his mixture of creativity and solidity in midfield for Real Madrid as they completed the La Decima.

Luka Modric was proclaimed the Liga BBVA’s best Central Midfielder at the LFP Awards ceremony. His exquisite passing and determined running was a key part of the Real Madrid midfield, as he went onto establish himself as one of the best midfielders in the world.

#1 Luis Suarez

Luis Suarez was instrumental in Liverpool’s success last season scoring a total of 31 goals and winning the Golden Shoe. His World Cup campaign started off brilliantly with an exceptional performance against England. All was going well until the infamous incident where he bit Chiellini on the shoulder in the match against Italy.

The reason why Luis Suarez was not included was because of the rules and regulations of FIFA and France Football with regards to the award. Article 3 says that “The awards are bestowed according to on-field performances and overall behaviour on and off the pitch.”

Suarez was all set to qualify to be a contender for the award, but the bite on Chiellini not only ruined his World Cup chances but also his Ballon d’Or opportunity. His 4-month suspension thus put him out of contention for the award.