FIFA
have announced their 23-man shortlist for the 2012 Ballon D’Or. Cristiano
Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are favourtites to lift the trophy in the New Year,
with Messi having won the Ballon D'or award three times.
Just
Drogba and Brazilian Neymar are the only players currently playing their trade
outside of Europe to make the shortlist.
23-man Shortlist for
the 2012 Ballon d’Or
Sergio
Agüero (ARG/Manchester City)
Mario
Balotelli (ITA/Manchester City)
Karim
Benzema (FRA/Real Madrid)
Gianluigi
Buffon (ITA/Juventus Turin)
Sergio
Busquets (ESP/FC Barcelona)
Iker
Casillas (ESP/Real Madrid)
Didier
Drogba (CIV/Chelsea, Shanghai Shenhua)
Radamel
Falcao (COL/Atlético Madrid)
Zlatan
Ibrahimovic (SWE/Milan AC, Paris-SG)
Andrés
Iniesta (ESP/FC Barcelona)
Lionel
Messi (ARG/FC Barcelona)
Manuel
Neuer (GER/Bayern Munich)
Neymar
(BRA/Santos)
Mesut
Özil (GER/Real Madrid)
Gerard
Piqué (ESP/FC Barcelona)
Andrea
Pirlo (ITA/Juventus Turin)
Sergio
Ramos (ESP/Real Madrid)
Cristiano
Ronaldo (POR/Real Madrid)
Wayne
Rooney (ENG/Manchester United)
Yaya
Touré (CIV/Manchester City)
Robin
van Persie (NED/Arsenal, Manchester United)
Xabi
Alonso (ESP/Real Madrid)
Xavi
Hernandez (ESP/FC Barcelona)
