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Inter chief stunned by Milito's Ballon d'Or omission

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MILAN (Reuters) -- Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti is stunned that striker Diego Milito was not included in the 23-man shortlist for the new FIFA Ballon d'Or.

The treble winners had Julio Cesar, Maicon, Wesley Sneijder and Samuel Eto'o on the list but Argentina's Milito, who scored 22 league goals in his debut season for Inter last term, was omitted.

Milito netted the winning goals as Inter clinched their fifth straight scudetto, the Italian Cup and the European Cup last May but has been injured for much of this term with his side stuttering slightly without him.

"I am very sorry for the exclusion of Diego Milito from the list of candidates for the Ballon d'Or," Moratti told reporters late on Wednesday. "I called him to tell him that it's an incredible decision."

The Inter president also said Ballon d'Or favourite Sneijder was close to signing a new contract and maintained it was his dream to one day sign Barcelona's Linoel Messi.

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