FIFA Ballon d’Or 2014 Ccontenders

World football's governing body has announced the 23-men shortlist for the prestigious individual award, with the winner to be announced on January 12.

FIFA Ballon d’Or

Yaya Toure Manchester City and Ivory Coast Mid fielder is the only Africa player in the 23 men list produced by World Football's Governing body (FIFA), He is also the 2013 CAF Africa Best Player.

Gareth Bale Real Madrid and Wales attacker has been shortlisted among the 23 men list making him the only English player on the list.

MISSING:

• Frank Ribery was no where to be found on the list,he had been nominated in the past years without winning any but surprisingly he was absent in the 23 men list.

• Luis Suarez exclusion  was also a suprise because he was very consistent and scoring for Liverpool before he was eventually ban for biting at the World Cup, He should have make the list may be it was because of his offense at the World cup FIFA has decided to exclude him from the list who knows.

  Xabi Alonso also an absentee in the list, former Real Madrid captain who usually make the list almost every year have been force to sit on the bench for other young players to come in, a nice decision may be.

The following 23 men (in alphabetical order) are in contention for the FIFA Ballon d’Or 2014:

Gareth Bale (Wales), Karim Benzema (France), Diego Costa (Spain), Thibaut Courtois (Belgium), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Angel Di Maria (Argentina), Mario Goetze (Germany), Eden Hazard (Belgium), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden), Andres Iniesta (Spain), Toni Kroos (Germany), Philipp Lahm (Germany), Javier Mascherano (Argentina), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Thomas Mueller (Germany), Manuel Neuer (Germany), Neymar (Brazil), Paul Pogba (France), Sergio Ramos (Spain), Arjen Robben (Netherlands), James Rodriguez (Colombia), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), Yaya Toure (Côte d’Ivoire).

 

The following ten coaches (in alphabetical order, first nationality and then team) are in contention for the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Men’s Football 2014:

Carlo Ancelotti (Italy/Real Madrid CF), Antonio Conte (Italy/Juventus FC/Italy national team), Pep Guardiola (Spain/FC Bayern Munich), Juergen Klinsmann (Germany/ USA national team), Joachim Loew (Germany/Germany national team), Jose Mourinho (Portugal/Chelsea FC), Manuel Pellegrini (Chile/Manchester City FC), Alejandro Sabella (Argentina/Argentina national team), Diego Simeone (Argentina/Atletico Madrid), Louis van Gaal (Netherlands/Netherlands national team/Manchester United FC).