The 23 Players Shortlisted For The Ballon D'Or

FIFA has announced the 23 man list for the coveted 2015 Ballon D'Or with Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona's Lionel Messi the headline names.

[article_adwert] The two have shared the last seven Ballon D'Or usually awarded in January which according to FIFA is given to the best player between November 2014 and November 2015.

The 23 man list was culled from a previous list of 53 players. The voting period for the awards commences on 26 October 2015 and closes on 20 November 2015.

All 23 nominees play in Europe, with La Liga having 11 representatives, five in the Premier League, five in the Bundesliga and just the one nomination from both Ligue 1 and Serie A.

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The list in full;

Sergio Agüero (Argentina/Manchester City), Gareth Bale (Wales/Real Madrid), Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid), Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/VfL Wolfsburg/Manchester City), Eden Hazard (Belgium/Chelsea), Zlatan Ibrahimović (Sweden/Paris Saint-Germain), Andrés Iniesta (Spain/FC Barcelona), Toni Kroos (Germany/Real Madrid), Robert Lewandowski (Poland/FC Bayern Munich), Javier Mascherano (Argentina/FC Barcelona), Lionel Messi (Argentina/FC Barcelona).

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Others are; Thomas Müller (Germany/FC Bayern Munich), Manuel Neuer (Germany/FC Bayern Munich), Neymar (Brazil/FC Barcelona), Paul Pogba (France/Juventus), Ivan Rakitić (Croatia/FC Barcelona), Arjen Robben (Netherlands/FC Bayern Munich), James Rodríguez (Colombia/Real Madrid), Alexis Sánchez (Chile/Arsenal), Luis Suárez (Uruguay/FC Barcelona), Yaya Touré (Côte d'Ivoire/Manchester City), Arturo Vidal (Chile/Juventus/FC Bayern Munich).

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The following women have been nominated for the Ballon D'Or; Nadine Angerer (Germany/Brisbane Roar/Portland Thorns), Ramona Bachmann (Switzerland/FC Rosengård), Kadeisha Buchanan (Canada/West Virginia University), Amandine Henry (France/Olympique Lyonnais).

Others are Eugénie Le Sommer (France/Olympique Lyonnais), Carli Lloyd (USA/Houston Dash), Aya Miyama (Japan/Okayama Yunogo Belle), Megan Rapinoe (USA/Seattle Reign), Célia Šašić (Germany/1.FFC Frankfurt), Hope Solo (USA/Seattle Reign).

On 30 November, FIFA will announce the three man shortlist for the awards. The winner of the award will be announced on 11 January 2016.