Fifa unveil world player of year award shortlist
Fifa name 23-man shortlist for 2008 world player of year award
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Wednesday, 29, Oct 2008 05:47
Fifa have named their 23-man shortlist for the 2008 world player of the year award, which includes ten players from the Premier League.
Featured in the list is overwhelming favourite to claim the prize, Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo, who claimed the FifPro player of the year trophy earlier this week - voted for by his fellow players.
Football's world governing body present the prize each year to the outstanding player in the world over the previous 12 months, as voted for by the coaches and captains of the various national teams.
Surprisingly, Ronaldo is the only Red Devils representative on the list as the likes of Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney miss out.
However, Chelsea - who lost out to United for both the Premier League and Champions League titles last season - have five players on the list in captain John Terry, Frank Lampard, Deco, Michael Ballack and Didier Drogba.
Liverpool's influential duo of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres are also named, alongside Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor.
Among the other favourites to claim the award are Barcelona and Argentina star Lionel Messi and AC Milan playmaker Kaka of Brazil.
Euro 2008 champions Spain top the list in terms of national representatives with six players - Torres and Fabregas being joined by David Villa, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Iker Casillas.
The 23-man list will be narrowed down to the three men with the most votes in early December, with the winner to be announced at a gala event in the Zurich Opera House on January 12th 2009.
Full Fifa shortlist for 2008 world player of the year award:
Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo), Sergio Aguero (Argentina), Andrei Arshavin (Russia), Michael Ballack (Germany), Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Iker Casillas (Spain), Deco (Portugal), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon), Cesc Fabregas (Spain), Steven Gerrard (England), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden), Andrés Iniesta (Spain), Kaka (Brazil), Frank Lampard (England), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Franck Ribery (France), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), John Terry (England), Fernando Torres (Spain), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Netherlands), David Villa (Spain) and Xavi (Spain).