Ronaldo, Messi Headline Best FIFA Men's Player Shortlist; Lloyd Up for Women's Honors
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Eden Hazard, N'Golo Kante and Harry Kane are among those who join usual suspects Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on the 24-man shortlist for the Best FIFA Men's Player ahead of the world football governing body's annual gala that will be held in London on 23rd October.
Ronaldo took home the last prize after his 2015/16 season for club and country and remains the favourite once more after La Liga and Champions League honours in 2016/17.
Messi ended last season by winning the European Golden Shoe for a record equalling fourth time after his 40 league goals were a continental high.
Both Hazard and Kante inspired Chelsea to Premier League glory in 2016/17, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored 28 goals in all competitions for Manchester United and Harry Kane captured a second successive Premier League Golden Boot.
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Real Madrid players, including Keylor Navas, unsurprisingly dominate the list of nominees.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (GAB - Borussia Dortmund)
Leonardo Bonucci (ITA - Juventus/AC Milan)
Gianluigi Buffon (ITA - Juventus)
Daniel Carvajal (ESP - Real Madrid)
Cristiano Ronaldo (POR - Real Madrid)
Paulo Dybala (ARG - Juventus)
Antoine Griezmann (FRA - Atletico Madrid)
Eden Hazard (BEL - Chelsea)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (SWE - Manchester United)
Andres Iniesta (ESP - Barcelona)
Harry Kane (ENG - Tottenham Hotspur)
N'Golo Kante (FRA - Chelsea)
Toni Kroos (GER - Real Madrid)
Robert Lewandowski (POL - Bayern Munich)
Marcelo (BRA - Real Madrid)
Lionel Messi (ARG - Barcelona)
Luka Modric (CRO - Real Madrid)
Keylor Navas (COS - Real Madrid)
Manuel Neuer (GER - Bayern Munich)
Neymar (BRA - Barcelona/PSG)
Sergio Ramos (ESP - Real Madrid)
Alexis Sanchez (CHI - Arsenal)
Luis Suarez (URU - Barcelona)
Arturo Vidal (CHI - Bayern Munich)
OLI SCARFF/GettyImages
The shortlist for Best FIFA Women's Player has also been revealed, featuring England pair Lucy Bronze and Jodie Taylor, award holder Carli Lloyd and Euro 2017 winning pair Lieke Martens and Vivianne Miedema:
Lucy Bronze (ENG - Manchester City Women)
Deyna Castellanos (VEN - Santa Clarita Blue Heat)
Pernille Harder (DEN - Linkopings / VfL Wolfsburg (Women)
Sam Kerr (AUS - Perth Glory / Sky Blue FC)
Carli Lloyd (USA - Houston Dash / Manchester City Women)
Dzsenifer Marozsan (GER - Olympique Lyonnais Feminin)
Lieke Martens (NED - FC Barcelona Femeni)
Vivianne Miedema (NED - FC Bayern Munich Frauen)
Wendie Renard (FRA - Olympique Lyonnais Feminin)
Jodie Taylor (ENG - Arsenal Women)
The October ceremony will also see awards handed out for the premier Best FIFA Women’s Player and Best FIFA Men’s Player, as well as the FIFA Fair Play Award, the FIFA Puskás Award, the FIFA Fan Award, the FIFA FIFPro World11 and the new FIFA Goalkeeper Award.
