FIFA Ballon d'Or 23 man shortlist

Current Ballon d'Or holder Cristiano Ronaldo and four-time winner Lionel Messi obviously made it onto the shortlist. Class like that does not disappear overnight.

We know the logistics of the FIFA Ballon d'Or. Later only three players will remain and the winner will be announced at the ceremony in January.

This year's list constists of seventeen European players, five South Americans and one African player. Germany has the most players, with six.
Real Madrid and Bayern Munich each have six players while Barcelona has four.
The list also has two goalkeepers.

Footballers who gained the World's attention during the FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil have been rewarded by getting their names on the 23-man shortlist. These are footballers like Diego Costa, James Rodriguez, Neymar and a few others.

Footballers like Gareth Bale, Paul Pogba, Thibaut Courtois, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, as well as a few others, managed to make waves at club level.

Luis Suárez shouldn't even be mentioned. Although he played well for Liverpool last season, biting is a nasty habit. No wonder he's not on the list. His behaviour shocked the football fraternity. He did this to himself and has missed the honour of being on this list.

I think we all know by now that Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will be the two finalists. But, who will be the third?

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

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Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid)

Antonio Conte (Juventus/Italy)

Pep Guardiola (Bayern Munich)

Jurgen Klinsmann (United States)

Joachim Loëw (Germany)

Jose Mourinho (Chelsea)

Manuel Pellegrini (Manchester City)

Alejandro Sabella (Argentina)

Diego Simeone (Atlético Madrid)

Louis van Gaal (Netherlands/Manchester United)

I don't think I can mention my favourites in the Ballon d'Or shortlist. However, Atlético Madrid's Diego Simeone is good for coach of the year, or Germany's Joachim Loëw.

El Clasico: Real Madrid v Barcelona

Barcelona's unbeaten run of 13 matches came to an end as Real Madrid won the El Clasico match by 3 goals to 1.

Barcelona were 4 points ahead of Madrid before the match. A victory against Madrid would've given Barcelona a 7 point lead at the top of the table. Instead, the 3-1 victory for Madrid decreased the gap to 1 point.

Barcelona's Xavi Hernandez made his 41st El Clasico appearance, 1 less than Madrid's Francisco Gento Clasico's with 42 appearances.

After Neymar's 4th minute opening goal, meant Casillas hasn't had a clean sheet in 12 El Clasico's.

Toni Kroos & James Rodriguez were on El Clasico debut for Madrid and Luis Suárez was on debut for Barcelona.

The clash began with Barcelona scoring a goal in the first 4 minutes in 4 consecutive El Clasico's. Benzema was close to equalising but the keeper pushed it across the face of goal.

Although leading 1-0, Messi became the first player to be booked in the after the referee had let him off the hook after one tackle, the second he punished. Neymar was also booked after he challenged Carvajal with a high elbow.

All of Benzema's efforts came close to ending up at the back of the net. At one stage he hit the post post and crossbar as he searched for an equaliser.

Eventually, Cristiano Ronaldo slotted in a penalty 10 minutes before halftime after Piqué was booked for handling the ball in the penalty area. The goal was the first conceeded by Barcelona this season. However, it was bound to come along against Madrid.

The start of the second half was fast paced. Barcelona were looking to lead again while Madrid were looking to lead for the first time in the match. In this case, the latter applied. Pepe gave Madrid the lead from a corner as Barcelona left him unmarked inside the box.

More good fortune for Madrid when Isco was on the counter-attack. He fed the ball to Cristiano who sent it to James and gave the assistance as Benzema's first half attempts finally paid off. The Frenchman gave Madrid a two goal cushion as they led Barcelona 3-1. That wasn't the end of Benzema since he kept testing the Barcelona defence until he was substituted.

Suárez was expected to make his debut in the El Clasico, which he did. He didn't make as much an impact as he hoped and was substituted for Pedro. Iniesta signalled to the bench to be substituted after what appeared to be a calf muscle strain.

Real Madrid's 3-1 victory was sealed with a Cristiano Ronaldo yellow card.

After that goal by Neymar, if you knew that Real Madrid would win the El Clasico encounter, you are lying!