FC Bayern have matched Real Madrid in supplying the most players on the 23-strong preliminary list of candidates for the World Player of the Year award, governing body FIFA announced on Tuesday. Like last year, six FCB stars - Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Manuel Neuer, Thomas Müller, Mario Götze and Arjen Robben – are in the running for the most important individual award in the global game. Pep Guardiola is also one of ten nominees for the World Coach award.
The list is compiled by the FIFA football committee and renowned magazine France Football. National team coaches and captains and a panel of journalists from around the world now vote on the longlist, allocating their favourites five, three and one point respectively. The shortlists of three will be published on 1 December. The Ballon d'Orwill be presented to the winner at the FIFA World Player Gala on 12 January at Zurich Congress Hall.
The FIFA Ballon d'Or candidate list is headed by Cristiano Ronaldo, who beat off Lionel Messi and Franck Ribéry to win the coveted prize last year. The only German to claim the World Player award to date is Lothar Matthäus back in 1991. Bayern’s treble-winning coach Jupp Heynckes is the current holder of the FIFA World Coach of the Year accolade.
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