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Ronaldo, Messi,Ribery on
Ballon dOr shortlist
Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Franck
Ribery were on Monday named the final
contenders for the World Footballer of the Year
award by the ruling body FIFA.
The Portugal and Real Madrid winger Ronaldo
won the prestigious award in 2008, while the
Barcelona and Argentina forward Messi has
taken the prize in the past four years.
Ribery, who plays for France and treble winners
Bayern Munich, won the European Footballer of
the Year award in summer.
The World Player is announced at the Ballon dOr
gala on January 13, based on a ballot involving
national team coaches and captains, and
journalists.
FIFA extended the deadline for the vote until after
the World Cup play-offs in November, and
Ronaldos four goals for Portugal against
Sweden made him the top favourite for the
award.
He has scored 67 goals for Portugal and Real
Madrid, while Messi is currently sidelined with
injury and on 45 goals.
Ribery has less goals, but was instrumental in
Munichs last record-breaking season in which
they won the Champions League, Bundesliga and
German cup for the first time in one campaign.
By now Munich have won a record 10
Champions League matches in a row and are
unbeaten in 40 league matches in Germany, also
a record.
Jupp Heynckes made the coaching shortlist after
leading Munich to the treble in his final season
before giving way for Pep Guardiola. The other
candidates are Juergen Klopp from Champions
League finalists Borussia Dortmund, and Sir Alex
Ferguson, who quit in summer after 27 years in
charge at English champions Manchester United.
Germany goalkeeper Nadine Angerer, Brazils
five-time award winner Marta and Abby
Wambach of the US are the womens candidates,
and womens team coaches on the shortlist are
Germanys Silvia Neid, Ralf Kellermann from
treble winners Wolfsburg and Swedens Pia
Sundhage.
Sweden and Paris St Germain striker Zlatan
Ibrahimovic did not make the Ballon dOr
shortlist, but is the top contender for the Puskas
Award for the best goal, nominated for his
bicycle kick strike for Sweden in a friendly
against England.
Ibrahimovic competes against long-range goals
from Brazils Neymar and Benfica Lisbons
Nemanja Matic
