Ballon d’Or 2016: Ronaldo and Messi to battle once again

MNA Sports Desk: Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will battle once again for the most prestigious award in football is given to the best performer in a calendar year, as France Football announces the 30-man shortlist for FIFA Ballon d’Or 2016 on Monday.

Barcelona’s Argentine great Messi, who took the honour for a record fifth time last year, or Real Madrid’s Portuguese three-time winner Ronaldo have taken the coveted accolade every year since 2007, when AC Milan’s Kaka won.

As in the previous years, Ronaldo and Messi are expected go head-to-head for this highly contested prize, with French striker Antoine Griezmann tipped by many to challenge the duo.

So far, France Football has announced 30 players, alphabetically. Among the names announced, Ronaldo and Messi are the star names that represent La Liga, while Sergio Aguero and Kevin de Bruyne are the representatives of the Premier League.

Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez have missed out somewhat controversially, while Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez are selected to continue Leicester fairytale.

France Football magazine, who have awarded the Ballon d’Or every year since 1956, announced the shortlist, with the winner set to be announced in January.

Shortlist of Ballon d’Or -2016 :

Sergio Aguero (Manchester City/Argentina), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund/Gabon), Gareth Bale (Real Madrid/Wales), Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus/Italy), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City/Belgium), Paulo Dybala (Juventus/Argentina), Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid/Uruguay), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid/France), Gonzalo Higuain (Juventus/Argentina), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Manchester United/Sweden), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona/Spain), Koke (Atletico Madrid/Spain),

Toni Kroos (Real Madrid/Germany), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich/Poland), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur/France), Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City/Algeria), Lionel Messi (Barcelona/Argentina), Luka Modric (Real Madrid/Croatia), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich/Germany), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich/Germany), Neymar (Barcelona/Brazil), Dimitri Payet (West Ham/France), Pepe (Real Madrid/Portugal), Paul Pogba (Manchester United/France), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid/Spain), Rui Patricio (Sporting/Portugal), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid/Portugal), Luis Suarez (Barcelona/Uruguay), Jamie Vardy (Leicester City/England), Arturo Vidal (Bayern Munich/Chile)