For the sports journal “L’Equipe” it’s “like a summer without the Tour de France”: For the first time since 2005, football superstar Lionel Messi is not on the list of 30 nominated players for the prestigious Ballon d’Or. On the other hand, his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo belongs to the elite circle, as does world footballer Robert Lewandowski. Frenchman Karim Benzema, who won the Champions League with Real Madrid, is the favorite for the election.
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