FIFA reveals 23 nominees for 2015 Ballon d'Or

By Fatih Erel

GENEVA

FIFA announced Tuesday the names of the nominees for the FIFA Ballon d'Or and for the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Men’s and Women's Football awards.

Six players from Barcelona have been nominated as well as five from Real Madrid and Bayern Munich each, among the 23 nominees.

Like last year, Barcelona's Argentine star Lionel Messi, Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo and Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer are among the 23 nominees.

Ptortuguese forward Ronaldo has won the award for the past two years while Barcelona's Messi is a four-time Ballon d'Or winner.

Men’s Football shortlist for the FIFA Ballon d’Or 2015 is as follows:

Sergio Aguero (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 Ibrahimovic (Sweden/Paris Saint-Germain), Andres 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), Thomas Muller (Germany/FC Bayern Munich), Manuel Neuer (Germany/FC Bayern Munich), Neymar (Brazil/FC Barcelona), Paul Pogba (France/Juventus), Ivan Rakitic (Croatia/FC Barcelona), Arjen Robben (Netherlands/FC Bayern Munich), James Rodriguez (Colombia/Real Madrid), Alexis Sanchez (Chile/Arsenal), Luis Suarez (Uruguay/FC Barcelona), Yaya Toure (Cote d'Ivoire/Manchester City), Arturo Vidal (Chile/Juventus/FC Bayern Munich).

The ten coaches for the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Men’s Football 2015 are:

Massimiliano Allegri (Italy/Juventus), Carlo Ancelotti (Italy/Real Madrid), Laurent Blanc (France/Paris Saint-Germain), Unai Emery (Spain/Sevilla FC), Pep Guardiola (Spain/FC Bayern Munich), Luis Enrique Martinez (Spain/FC Barcelona), Jose Mourinho (Portugal/Chelsea), Jorge Sampaoli (Argentina/Chilean national team), Diego Simeone (Argentina/Atletico Madrid), Arsène Wenger (France/Arsenal).

Women’s Football shortlist for FIFA Ballon d’Or 2015 includes:

Nadine Angerer (Germany/Brisbane Roar/Portland Thorns), Ramona Bachmann (Switzerland/FC Rosengård), Kadeisha Buchanan (Canada/West Virginia University), Amandine Henry (France/Olympique Lyonnais), 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).

The ten coaches for the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Women’s Football 2015 are:

Calle Barrling (Sweden/Swedish U-19 national team), Colin Bell (England/1.FFC Frankfurt), Farid Benstiti (France/Paris Saint-Germain), Jill Ellis (USA/USA national team), Laura Harvey (England/Seattle Reign), John Herdman (England/Canadian national team), Gerard Precheur (France/Olympique Lyonnais), Mark Sampson (Wales/English national team), Norio Sasaki (Japan/Japanese national team), Thomas Worle (Germany/FC Bayern Munich).

The winners of all of the awards will be announced in Zurich on Jan. 11, 2016.