Ballon d’Or 2015 shortlist revealed

Spanish giants Barcelona top the FIFA shortlist for the Ballon d’Or world player of the year award with six players named in a second 23-strong selection. 

They include the favourite for the prestigious award, Argentinian Lionel Messi, as well as Javier Mascherano (Argentina), Andres Iniesta (Spain), Neymar (Brazil), Ivan Rakitic (Croatia) and Luis Suarez (Uruguay). 

They will be up against last year’s winner, Cristiano Ronaldo, and his Real Madrid team-mates Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema as well as five players from German giants Bayern Munich. 

Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez leads the only five Premier League stars on the shortlist.

The other four are Eden Hazard and Manchester City trio Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure and Kevin De Bruyne.

The winner will be announced in Zurich on January 11.

CR7 and Messi are likely to go head-to-head for the prestigious prize again - but who else is in the running?

See the list below:

Ballon d'Or shortlist:

Sergio Aguero (Argentina/Manchester City)

Gareth Bale (Wales/Real Madrid)

Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid)

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid)

Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/Manchester City)

Eden Hazard (Belgium/Chelsea)

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden/Paris Saint-Germain)

Andres Iniesta (Spain/Barcelona)

Toni Kroos (Germany/Real Madrid)

Robert Lewandowski (Poland/Bayern Munich)

Javier Mascherano (Argentina/Barcelona)

Lionel Messi (Argentina/Barcelona)

Thomas Mueller (Germany/Bayern Munich)

Manuel Neuer (Germany/Bayern Munich)

Neymar (Brazil/Barcelona)

Paul Pogba (France/Juventus)

Ivan Rakitic (Croatia/Barcelona)

Arjen Robben (Netherlands/Bayern Munich)

James Rodríguez (Colombia/Real Madrid)

Alexis Sanchez (Chile/Arsenal)

Luis Suarez (Uruguay/FC Barcelona)

Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast/Manchester City)

Arturo Vidal (Chile/Bayern Munich)

Meanwhile, on the Coach of the Year shortlist, Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho reappear - with Carlo Ancelotti, Diego Simeone and of course, Pep Guardiola also making the cut.

(File photo)