Spoiler

3 Premier League players and no English in Ballon d’Or noms

Not a great showing

The 23-man shortlist for FIFA’s Ballon d’Or/World Player of the Year award was released this morning, and the big story dominating the UK press is that not one English player is featured.

As you would expect, various members of Spain’s World Cup winning side are accounted for, contributing six of the eleven representatives from La Liga. In contrast, over at ‘The Best League in the World’ only three players – Fabregas, Drogba and Asamoah Gyan – will be traveling to the crowning ceremony on January 11th.

In a 23-man list there will always be a few names added to make up the numbers. Can you spot them?

World Player of the Year nominees:

Xabi Alonso (Spain),
Daniel Alves (Brazil),
Iker Casillas (Spain),
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal),
Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast),
Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon),
Cesc Fábregas (Spain),
Diego Forlán (Uruguay),
Asamoah Gyan (Ghana),
Andrés Iniesta (Spain),
Júlio César (Brazil),
Miroslav Klose (Germany),
Philipp Lahm (Germany),
Maicon (Brazil),
Lionel Messi (Argentina),
Thomas Müller (Germany),
Mesut Ozil (Germany),
Carles Puyol (Spain),
Arjen Robben (Holland),
Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany),
Wesley Sneijder (Holland),
David Villa (Spain),
Xavi (Spain)

• Ballon d'Or