Ishaq Mustafa
Manchester United’s five-time winner, Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid’s Luka Modric, the only players other than Messi to win the award since 2008 are both nominated.
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There are 14 Premier League players on the 30-man 2021 shortlist and five members of Italy’s European Championship-winning squad.
The Ballon d’Or, organised by France Football is awarded annually to the world’s best footballer.
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The prize was not given out in 2020 for the first time since 1956 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
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The winner of the award will be declared on 29 November at Paris’ Theatre du Chatelet.
England’s Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Mason Greenwood (Manchester United) and Bakayo Saka (Arsenal) are among the 10 nominees for the Kopa Trophy, which is for players under the age of 21.
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The Yashin Trophy is for the best goalkeeper and the four Premier League players on the 10-man shortlist are Chelsea and Senegal’s Edouard Mendy, Manchester City’s Brazilian Ederson, Leicester City’s Kasper Schmeichel, of Denmark, and Aston Villa’s Argentine Emiliano Martinez.
Below are Ballon d’Or nominees:
Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea, Spain)
Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan, Italy)
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid, France)
Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus, Italy)
Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City, Belgium)
Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus, Italy)
Ruben Dias (Manchester City, Portugal)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG, Italy)
Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United, Portugal)
Phil Foden (Manchester City, England)
Erling Braut Haaland (Borussia Dortmund, Norway)
Jorginho (Chelsea, Italy)
Harry Kane (Tottenham, England)
N’Golo Kante (Chelsea, France)
Simon Kjaer (AC Milan, Denmark)
Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich, Poland)
Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea, Belgium)
Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City, Algeria)
Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan, Argentina)
Kylian Mbappe (PSG, France)
Lionel Messi (PSG, Argentina)
Luka Modric (Real Madrid, Croatia)
Gerard Moreno (Villarreal, Spain)
Mason Mount (Chelsea, England)
Neymar (PSG, Brazil)
Pedri (Barcelona, Spain)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United, Portugal)
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, Egypt)
Raheem Sterling (Manchester City, England)
Luis Suarez (Atletico Madrid, Uruguay)
