World-wide known magazine France Football has revealed the 30-man shortlist aiming to win this year's Ballon D'Or. With Cristiano Ronaldo starting the race as the favorite, names such as Lionel Messi, Neymar, Luis Suárez and Antoine Griezmann shine in a list that had some interesting outcasts.
Names such as Paul Pogba, Alexis Sánchez and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, to name a few, were forgotten by the French magazine's experts. Liverpool's Sadio Mane, N'Golo Kanté and even Dries Mertens made the cut.
Real Madrid is the team with the most players nominated for the coveted award. Luka Modric, Marcelo, Sergio Ramos, Isco, Toni Kroos, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo were all included in the 30-man shortlist. Meanwhile, Barcelona's fans will be rooting for Luis Suárez and Lionel Messi, the only Blaugrana players included.
Here's the series of tweets used by France Football to reveal the nominees.
The first 5 nominees for the 2017 Ballon d'Or France Football : Neymar, Luka Modrić, Paulo Dybala, Marcelo, N’Golo Kanté #ballondor pic.twitter.com/QnyakD9bhw
— France Football (@francefootball) October 9, 2017
The next 5 nominees for the 2017 Ballon d'Or France Football : Suarez, Ramos, Oblak, Coutinho, Mertens #ballondor pic.twitter.com/7XCOGGOmed
— France Football (@francefootball) October 9, 2017
The next 5 nominees for the 2017 Ballon d'Or France Football : De Bruyne, Lewandowski, De Gea, Kane, Džeko #ballondor pic.twitter.com/MD8J2O0wgM
— France Football (@francefootball) October 9, 2017
The next 5 nominees for the 2017 Ballon d'Or France Football : Griezmann, Kroos, Buffon, Mané, Falcao #ballondor pic.twitter.com/Oubocmr1Sq
— France Football (@francefootball) October 9, 2017
The next 5 nominees for the 2017 Ballon d'Or France Football : Messi, Aubameyang, Cavani, Hummels, Benzema #ballondor pic.twitter.com/2TVII18Aub
— France Football (@francefootball) October 9, 2017
The last 5 nominees for the 2017 Ballon d'Or France Football : Cristiano Ronaldo, Hazard, Bonucci, Isco, Mbappé #ballondor pic.twitter.com/mWGc1WKnHu
— France Football (@francefootball) October 9, 2017