FIFA have released the latest list of nomination for the new 'Best Football Awards' for 2016, this time announcing the 23 players in with a chance of being crowned the Best Men's Player at the gala to be held in Zurich in January.
World football's governing body has already released the list for Best Women's Coach, Best Men's Coach, Best Women's Player, with the Best Men's Payer rounding off the core individual awards.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who was crowned FIFA World Player of the Year for 2008 before the accolade was merged with the Ballon d'Or - now back under the control of France Football - is the early favourite to win after his 2016 saw another glut of goals as well as Champions League and European Championship glory with Real Madrid and Portugal respectively.
Barcelona's Lionel Messi was the last player to win FIFA World Player of the Year in 2009 before the Ballon d'Or merge, andalso holds the last FIFA Ballon d'Or after being honoured at the last annual gala.His 2016 hasn't been quite up to his usual incredible standards, but the Argentine superstar is still favoured to winby some.
Messi's Barcelona team-mates Luis Suarez and Neymar, both additionally among the 30-man short-list for the separate Ballon d'Or, are also among the top contenders.
Suarez was recently presented the European Golden Shoe, while Neymar won Olympic gold with Brazil over the summer. Both collected another La Liga title with Barcelona as well.
Best FIFA Men's Player 2016 Short-List:
Sergio Agüero (Manchester City &Argentina)
Gareth Bale (Real Madrid & Wales)
Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus & Italy)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid &Portugal)
Kevin De Bruyne(Manchester City & Belgium)
Antoine Griezmann (Atlético Madrid & France)
Zlatan Ibrahimović (Paris Saint-Germain/Manchester United & Sweden)
Andrés Iniesta (Barcelona & Spain)
N'Golo Kanté (Leicester City/Chelsea & France)
Toni Kroos (Real Madrid & Germany)
Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich & Poland)
Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City &Algeria)
Lionel Messi (Barcelona & Argentina)
Luka Modrić (Real Madrid &Croatia)
Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich &Germany)
Neymar (Barcelona &Brazil)
Mesut Özil (Arsenal &Germany)
Dimitri Payet(West Ham United & France)
Paul Pogba (Juventus/Manchester United &France)
Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid &Spain)
Alexis Sánchez (Arsenal &Chile)
Luis Suárez (Barcelona &Uruguay)
Jamie Vardy (Leicester City &England)
The short-list for the Puskas (best goal) award will be revealed on 2nd December, while the list of 55 players in contention for the men's FIFPro World XI are due to be released at a later date.
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