Juventus” data-scaytid=”1″>Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba is Serie A’s sole representative on the FIFA Ballon d’Or shortlist revealed this morning.
Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba is Serie A’s sole representative on the FIFA Ballon d’Or shortlist revealed this morning.
The 23-man shortlist for the award to recognise the world’s best player from the past 12 months has been announced by the game’s governing body and France Football magazine.
It features no Italian players, but does include Juve’s young France international Pogba, who picked up the Best Young Player Award at this summer’s World Cup.
Captains and head Coaches of every national team plus selected representatives from the world media will cast their votes, with a three-man shortlist to be announced on December 1.
The award winner will then be revealed in a special televised ceremony at the Zurich Kongresshaus on January 12, 2015, with several other awards being presented at the same time, including the FIFA World Coach of the Year Award, which Antonio Conte and Carlo Ancelotti are in contention for.
The FIFA FIFPro World XI, the FIFA Puskás Award – for the most beautiful goal of the year – the FIFA Presidential Award and the FIFA Fair Play Award will also be presented.
Juventus and Milan shared the record for most Ballon d’Or wins by club – 8 – before the competition was merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year Award, since when the award has only been won by Lionel Messi – three times – and Cristiano Ronaldo – once.
FIFA Ballon D’Or 2014 shortlist
Gareth Bale (Wales/Real Madrid), Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid), Diego Costa (Spain/Atletico Madrid/Chelsea), Thibaut Courtois (Belgium/Atletico Madrid/Chelsea), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid), Angel Di Maria (Argentina/Real Madrid), Mario Goetze (Germany/Bayern Munich), Eden Hazard (Belgium/Chelsea), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden/Paris Saint-Germain), Andres Iniesta (Spain/Barcelona), Toni Kroos (Germany/Bayern Munich), Philipp Lahm (Germany/Bayern Munich), Javier Mascherano (Argentina/Barcelona), Lionel Messi (Argentina/Barcelona), Thomas Mueller (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/Monaco/Real Madrid), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany/Bayern Munich), Yaya Toure (Côte d’Ivoire/Manchester City)