Six-time winner Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, a five-time winner, were among the 30 names announced for the Ballon d’Or award on Friday.
The series favorites face the competition, which includes Kylian Mbappé, Neymar, Karim Benzema, Jorginho and N’Golo Kanté, who are also leading runners in the. are valid List revealed from France Football magazine.
The prestigious award was not given in 2020 due to the pandemic.
In addition, 20 women are in the running for their own prize, which will be announced in Paris on November 29th.
French master PSG can boast of Messi, a Copa America winner this summer, and teammates Mbappe and Neymar, who brought the ambitious club to the last sixteen of the Champions League last season.
Italian midfielder Jorginho receives the nod after helping Chelsea win the Champions League and played a key role in Italy winning the belated Euro 2000.
Chelsea team-mate Kanté, man of the game in the semi-finals and Champions League final, is also on the list.
Ronaldo, who finished third behind Messi and Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk in the 2019 Ballon d’Or vote, also sees former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema nominated.
Also in the running are Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski, the top scorer in Europe with 41 goals, and Dortmund’s Erling Braut Haaland, the top scorer in the Champions League with 10 goals.
England, the Euro 2020 finalists, will be represented by Harry Kane, Mason Mount, Phil Foden and Raheem Sterling.
For women, 2019 winner Megan Rapinoe, whose US team was eliminated in the quarter-finals at the Olympic Games, was missing from the nominations.
Christine Sinclair from the Olympic champion Canada is in the running.
Champions League winners Barcelona will be represented by Alexia Putellas, who has already been voted UEFA’s best player, and Jennifer Hermoso, joint top scorer of the Champions League.
(AFP)
–
