FIFA announced a 23-man shortlist for the 2014 Ballon d’Or
award
with the shock exclusion of joint European Golden Boot
winner Luis Suarez. The Barcelona forward scored 31 goals
for Liverpool last season but it seems his four-month ban
for biting opposition player Giorgio Chiellini during the FIFA
World Cup went against the Uruguayan.
The 27-year-old whose ban ended just in time for him to
make his debut for new side Barcelona in the El Clasico
was the standout performer in the Premier League last
season. He shared the European Golden Boot with Cristiano
Ronaldo. Ronaldo himself is the overwhelming favourite to
win his second cosnecutive and third overall Ballon d’Or
award. The last six awards have been won either by him or
his rival Lionel Messi.
As expected, the list is dominated by players from
Germany’s World Cup winning squad . Six members from
the team make it to the list. As many as five Premier
League stars -Thibault Courtois, Diego Costa, Eden Hazard,
Angel Di Maria and Yaya Toure have been included.
Here is the full list of players (in alphabetical order)
competing for the coveted award:
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).
CONFIRMED: The 23 contenders for the FIFA #
BallondOr revealed - http://t.co/ZNA2ZyR82O
pic.twitter.com/nFsWC2QmZk
— FIFA.com (@FIFAcom) October 28, 2014
Players from only eight European football clubs have made
it. Champions League winners Real Madrid and Bayern
Munich boast of six players each, Barcelona have four,
Chelsea have three, and Manchester United, Juventus and
Man City have one each.
The nominations for coach of the Year were also
announced by FIFA. A surprise inclusion in this list is
Jurgen Klinsmann:
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).
award
with the shock exclusion of joint European Golden Boot
winner Luis Suarez. The Barcelona forward scored 31 goals
for Liverpool last season but it seems his four-month ban
for biting opposition player Giorgio Chiellini during the FIFA
World Cup went against the Uruguayan.
The 27-year-old whose ban ended just in time for him to
make his debut for new side Barcelona in the El Clasico
was the standout performer in the Premier League last
season. He shared the European Golden Boot with Cristiano
Ronaldo. Ronaldo himself is the overwhelming favourite to
win his second cosnecutive and third overall Ballon d’Or
award. The last six awards have been won either by him or
his rival Lionel Messi.
As expected, the list is dominated by players from
Germany’s World Cup winning squad . Six members from
the team make it to the list. As many as five Premier
League stars -Thibault Courtois, Diego Costa, Eden Hazard,
Angel Di Maria and Yaya Toure have been included.
Here is the full list of players (in alphabetical order)
competing for the coveted award:
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).
CONFIRMED: The 23 contenders for the FIFA #
BallondOr revealed - http://t.co/ZNA2ZyR82O
pic.twitter.com/nFsWC2QmZk
— FIFA.com (@FIFAcom) October 28, 2014
Players from only eight European football clubs have made
it. Champions League winners Real Madrid and Bayern
Munich boast of six players each, Barcelona have four,
Chelsea have three, and Manchester United, Juventus and
Man City have one each.
The nominations for coach of the Year were also
announced by FIFA. A surprise inclusion in this list is
Jurgen Klinsmann:
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).
posted from Bloggeroid
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