The annual who’d win a fight contest.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, or Superman?
The Ballon d’Or shortlist has been revealed and it comes as no surprise that Portugal and Argentina’s finest are among the nominees. It might shock you to learn that there are as many as 21 other names on the list.
Segio Aguero, Gareth Bale, Thomas Muller and Luis Suarez all lead the way for the pretenders not even 10 months after Ronaldo won his third gong back in January.
Ballon d’Or nominees:
Sergio Aguero (Argentina/Manchester City)
Gareth Bale (Wales/Real Madrid)
Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid)
Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/VfL Wolfsburg/Manchester City)
Eden Hazard (Belgium/Chelsea)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden/Paris Saint-Germain)
Andres Iniesta (Spain/FC Barcelona)
Toni Kroos (Germany/Real Madrid)
Robert Lewandowski (Poland/FC Bayern Munich)
Javier Mascherano (Argentina/FC Barcelona)
Lionel Messi (Argentina/FC Barcelona)
Thomas Muller (Germany/FC Bayern Munich)
Manuel Neuer (Germany/FC Bayern Munich)
Neymar (Brazil/FC Barcelona)
Paul Pogba (France/Juventus)
Ivan Rakitic; (Croatia/FC Barcelona)
Arjen Robben (Netherlands/FC Bayern Munich)
James Rodriguez (Colombia/Real Madrid)
Alexis Sanchez (Chile/Arsenal)
Luis Suarez (Uruguay/FC Barcelona)
Yaya Toure (Cote d’Ivoire/Manchester City)
Arturo Vidal (Chile/Juventus/FC Bayern Munich)
If that wasn’t all too much to process, Arsene Wenger – yes, Arsenal fans, him – is in the running to be crowned coach of the year. In the running as much as Mascherano is for Ballon d’Or.
World Coach of the Year nominees:
Massimiliano Allegri (Italy/Juventus)
Carlo Ancelotti (Italy/Real Madrid)
Laurent Blanc (France/Paris Saint-Germain)
Unai Emery (Spain/Sevilla FC)
Pep Guardiola (Spain/FC Bayern Munich)
Luis Enrique Martinez (Spain/FC Barcelona)
Jose Mourinho (Portugal/Chelsea)
Jorge Sampaoli (Argentina/Chilean national team)
Diego Simeone (Argentina/Atletico Madrid)
Arsene Wenger (France/Arsenal)
