Ballon D’or fever is here as France Football announced its list of 30-men who will compete for the most prestigious individual award in the football world. The list saw usual suspects Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi along with other favorites like Neymar, Bale, Suarez, Griezmann, while there were some new names such as Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez in the mix too.
Ronaldo and Messi will go head-to-head again to claim the title of Best Player in the World, while some believe that Griezmann will give the two superstars a run for their money this year, following his exploits with Atletico Madrid and France.
The shortlist includes several outstanding players, but there are plenty of world class names left out in the list.
Here’s a list of 11 players who did not make the shortlist but would make a fine team.
#1 David de Gea
The Manchester United and Spain shot stopper’s exclusion did not go well with everyone. de Gea’s performance for Manchester United last season earned him a Player of the Club award for third time in a row and the Spanish International narrowly missed out on the Premier League Golden Glove.
David de Gea put on a very good performance for Spain at the Euros as he dethroned legendary keeper Casillas as Spain’s Number One.
Portuguese Keeper Rui Patricio’s nod over de Gea may have angered some Red Devils fans, and surely the former Atletico Madrid keeper deserved a place in the 30-man shortlist.
#2 Giorgio Chiellini
The legendary defender was a defensive wall for both Juventus and Italy last season and his exclusion from the Ballon D’or shortlist came as a surprise to everyone. The 32-year-old put in some heroic performances for Juventus last season as they won their fifth consecutive league title.
His defensive leadership took Italy to the quarterfinals of Euro-2016 where they lost to Germany in penalties. For his stellar 2015/16 season, Chiellini deserved a place alongside Sergio Ramos, Pepe, and Godin in the Ballon D’or shortlist.
#3 Leonardo Bonucci
Another Juventus man to feature in this list, Bonucci put in a great defensive partnership with Chiellini and Barzagli at the heart of the defence for both Juventus and Italy. The 29-year-old, along with Chiellini, won a fifth consecutive Scudetti for Juventus and the contribution of the Italian should not be overlooked.
Rumours of Chelsea’s €50m bid for the Juventus man shows just how good he is and he surely deserved to make the 30-man shortlist for his excellent displays.
#4 Dani Carvajal
The inclusion of the Dani Carvajal in this list may come as a surprise, but those who followed La Liga last season will know how much of a menace Carvajal was to opponents.
Known for his pace, inviting crosses, defensive work rate, Carvajal hardly puts a foot wrong. The former Bayer Leverkusen man won the UEFA Champions League last season, his second in three years.
Following his excellent play with Real Madrid, Carvajal made his way into the national team and cemented his place as the first-choice right-back for the La Roja.
#5 David Alaba
Arguably the best left-back in the world, Alaba hasn’t, surprisingly, featured in the 30-man shortlist for the Ballon D’or this year. The versatile player won the Bundesliga as well as DFB Pokal last season.
Alaba has been an important player for Munich, but couldn’t live up to the expectations for his national team as Austria crashed out of the Euros in the group stage. But for his performances at club level, the Austrian surely deserved a nod ahead of players like Koke.
#6 N’Golo Kante
Though Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez stole the headlines for Leicester City last season, it was N’Golo Kante who was the real hero for the Foxes in their incredible title-winning campaign. The Frenchman’s absence is clearly being felt this season as Leicester City are struggling in 12th place.
The little Frenchman was an anchor in the midfield for the Foxes and his performances earned his a move to Chelsea ahead of this season. For the national team, the former Caen man put in a decent show in the Euros.
#7 Ivan Rakitic
Ivan Rakitic’s exclusion from the Ballon D’or shortlist comes as a surprise as the Croat put in some extremely good shows for Barcelona last season. The talented midfielder, along with Andres Iniesta, dictated many games from midfield for Barcelona.
The former Sevilla man scored when his team needed him the most. His performances saw Barcelona lift La Liga title for the second consecutive year. Barcelona also completed the double, winning the Copa Del Rey. The 28-year old had a great Euros too, as he saw Croatia reach the round of 16, beating then defending champions Spain 2-1.
For all his success last season, Barcelona fans would have been sure to see his name alongside Messi, Neymar, Suarez in the shortlist.
#8 Mesut Özil
The Arsenal man was excellent throughout last season racking up 20 assists and 8 goals in all competitions which earned his Arsenal Player of the Season Award. The creative midfielder was the main man for Arsene Wenger's side last season.
After struggling during his early Arsenal days, Ozil now has become a fan favourite and has put in brilliant performances consistenly. The former Real Madrid man was impressive for his national team too as Germany went till semi-finals ,beating Italy on its way. With names like Payet and Koke in the 30-man shortlist, it is sad to see Ozil being left out.
#9 David Silva
The Manchester City midfielder saw his teammate Kevin de Bruyne make his way into the 30-man shortlist, but Silva also deserved a place in the shortlist. The Spanish international was mesmerising for Manchester City and the team missed his presence when he was out due to injury.
Though he did not win any trophy last season, his match-winning displays ensured Manchester City a Champions League spot. The 29-year old had a decent outing with Spain as they went on till the round of 16 of Euros 2016 before losing to Italy.
#10 Alexis Sanchez
Alexis Sanchez, the former Barcelona man, had a stellar season with Arsenal as they finished second behind champions Leicester City. Sanchez started last season brilliantly but an injury mid-season somewhat hindered his progress.
But the Chilean rose back to his best towards the end of the season as Arsenal finished ahead of London rivals Tottenham Hotspur yet again. Sanchez was also instrumental in Chile winning the Copa America for the second time, by beating Argentina in the finals. Given his success last season, it was expected that Sanchez would make the shortlist ahead of the likes of Thomas Muller and Koke.
#11 Karim Benzema
The dynamic Frenchman had a mixed year that saw him involved in a sex scandal and also lift the Champions League for the second time in his career. The former Lyon striker had a very good season domestically as he netted 24 times in the league (his highest in a single season) with injuries slowing down his progress.
He saw his Real Madrid team push for the league title until the very last matchday only to lose to eventual winners Barcelona by a single point. Due to his involvement in the scandal, Benzema wasn't called up for the national team as France fell short in the finals. For all his excellent displays last season, Benzema surely deserved a place in the 30-man shortlist ahead of the likes of Paulo Dybala.
