The 30-man shortlist for the 2017 Ballon d’Or award given to the best player in world football has been released by France Football magazine.
The FIFA Best Player Top 3 of Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Lionel Messi all made the list, which also had seven English Premier League (EPL) players.
Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane was a notable name on the list after an impressive year that has seen him score 6 hattricks alone.
Other Premier League players on the list include Kevin de Bruyne, Philippe Coutinho, N’Golo Kante, David de Gea, Eden Hazard and Sadie Mane.
One notable absentee on the list was Welsh star Gareth Bale. The former Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur man has struggled for form and fitness this year culminating in just five goals for his Real Madrid side.
Ballon d’Or shortlist:
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund and Gabon), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid and France), Leonardo Bonucci (AC Milan and Italy), Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus and Italy), Edinson Cavani (Paris St-Germain and Uruguay) Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool and Brazil), Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City and Belgium), David de Gea (Manchester United and Spain), Paulo Dybala (Juventus and Argentina), Edin Dzeko (Roma and Bosnia-Herzegovina), Radamel Falcao (Monaco and Colombia), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid and France), Eden Hazard (Chelsea and Belgium), Mats Hummels (Bayern Munich and Germany), Isco (Real Madrid and Spain), Harry Kane (Tottenham and England), N’Golo Kante (Chelsea and France), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid and Germany), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich and Poland), Sadio Mane (Liverpool and Senegal), Marcelo (Real Madrid and Brazil), Kylian Mbappe (Paris St-Germain and France), Dries Mertens (Napoli and Belgium), Lionel Messi (Barcelona and Argentina) Luka Modric (Real Madrid and Croatia), Neymar (Paris St-Germain and Brazil), Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid and Slovenia), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid and Spain), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid and Portugal), Luis Suarez (Barcelona and Uruguay).
Source: ( Busybuddiesng )