2016.11.04 | fifa.com

ONE OF 23 PLAYERS ON FIFA'S SHORTLIST

Two weeks ago Zlatan was one of 30 players being nominated to France Football's "Ballon D'Or" where journalists vote on the best players in the world, and today FIFA presented their shortlist (23 players) for their new award "The Best FIFA Men’s Player 2016". Zlatan is nominated there as well.

 

The award for the best male football player in the world has had many faces over the years.

 

Up until 2007 the French football magazine France Football handed out the prestigous award "Ballon D'Or" to the best "European Footballer of the Year", but then changed it to incuding players over the world.

 

Between 1991 and 2010 FIFA gave out their own "FIFA World Player of the Year"-award but in 2010 the both awards merged into one, the "FIFA Ballon D'Or", which was given to Lionel Messi four times and Cristiano Ronaldo twice 2010-2015.

 

But this year the two awards have once again separated, France Football gives out "Ballon D'Or" like before 2010 and FIFA have initiated the new award, called "The Best FIFA Men’s Player , which is voted on by national team captains and coaches (50%) and fans (50%).

 

Zlatan has been nominated to "Ballon D'or" (either before or after FIFA joined France Football in the process) ten times: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. He was voted the fourth best player in the world in 2013.

 

He was nominated to FIFA's World Player of the Year 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009.

 

Please see THE AWARDS for the complete list of Zlatan's all individual awards and nominations.

 

The 23 players nominated to "The Best FIFA Men's Player 2016":

Sergio Agüero (Argentina/Manchester City)

Gareth Bale (Wales/Real Madrid)

Gianluigi Buffon (Italy/Juventus)

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid)

Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/Manchester City)

Antoine Griezmann (France/Atlético Madrid)

Zlatan Ibrahimović (Sweden/Paris Saint-Germain/Manchester United)

Andrés Iniesta (Spain/FC Barcelona)

N’Golo Kanté (France/Leicester City/Chelsea)

Toni Kroos (Germany/Real Madrid)

Robert Lewandowski (Poland/FC Bayern Munich)

Riyad Mahrez (Algeria/Leicester City)

Lionel Messi (Argentina/FC Barcelona)

Luka Modrić (Croatia/Real Madrid)

Manuel Neuer (Germany/FC Bayern Munich)

Neymar (Brazil/FC Barcelona)

Mesut Özil (Germany/Arsenal)

Dimitri Payet (France/West Ham United)

Paul Pogba (France/Juventus/Manchester United)

Sergio Ramos (Spain/Real Madrid)

Alexis Sánchez (Chile/Arsenal)

Luis Suárez (Uruguay/FC Barcelona)

Jamie Vardy (England/Leicester City).

 

The voting for the fans online starts today and ends 22 November. The award is being presented on an award ceremony on 9 January 2017.

 

More information about the award on fifa.com.

 

Source: fifa.com.