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.