Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi made the list of the 23-man shortlist for The Best FIFA Men’s Player 2016 award.
From the Premier League, Arsenal’s duo of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil made the cut, while Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and N’Golo Kante, who all helped Leicester City win their first league title, are also included.
Ronaldo’s team-mates at Real Madrid, Gareth Bale, Toni Kroos, Sergio Ramos and Luka Modric, as well as Barcelona’s Messi, Luis Suarez, Neymar and Andres Iniesta are in contention to win the prize.
The only goalkeepers on the list are Manuel Neuer of Germany and Bayern Munich and Gianluigi Buffon of Italy and Juventus.
FIFA announced this week that its rebranded “The Best” awards will be decided by a combination of votes from national coaches and captains, journalists and fans.
Voting closes on November 22.
The 23-man list will be reduced to three candidates on December 2 and the winner will be announced at an event on January 9.
The Best FIFA Men’s Player 2016 shortlist
Sergio Aguero (Argentina/Manchester City), Gareth Bale (Wales/Real Madrid), Gianluigi Buffon (Italy/Juventus), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid), Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/Manchester City), Antoine Griezmann (France/Atletico Madrid), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden/Paris Saint-Germain/Manchester United), Andres Iniesta (Spain/FC Barcelona), N’Golo Kante (France/Leicester City/Chelsea), Toni Kroos (Germany/Real Madrid), Robert Lewandowski (Poland/FC Bayern Munich), Riyad Mahrez (Algeria/Leicester City), Lionel Messi (Argentina/FC Barcelona), Luka Modric (Croatia/Real Madrid), Manuel Neuer (Germany/FC Bayern Munich), Neymar (Brazil/FC Barcelona), Mesut Ozil (Germany/Arsenal), Dimitri Payet (France/West Ham United), Paul Pogba (France/Juventus/Manchester United), Sergio Ramos (Spain/Real Madrid), Alexis Sanchez (Chile/Arsenal), Luis Suarez (Uruguay/FC Barcelona), Jamie Vardy (England/Leicester City).
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