Final 30-man shortlist for 2017 Ballon d'Or announced

French Football have announced the much-awaited 30-man shortlist containing the candidates for this year's famed Ballon d'Or award. The shortlist was prepared by a panel of journalists after FIFA ended their partnership with France Football.

The accolade honours the best footballer from the previous year.

5-time award winner Lionel Messi and his arch-rival 4-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo head the shortlist and remain favourites to win the award. Ricardo Kaka was the last player to win the Ballon d'Or before Ronaldo and Messi took over.

The 30 nominees for the 2017 Ballon d'Or France Football ! #ballondor pic.twitter.com/TBRQwRvo4E

— France Football (@francefootball) October 9, 2017

The 30 man shortlist for the Ballon d'Or

Neymar Jr (PSG, Brazil)

Luka Modric (Real Madrid, Croatia)

Paulo Dybala (Juventus, Argentina)

Marcelo Vieira (Real Madrid, Brazil)

N'Golo Kante (Chelsea, France)

Luis Suarez (Barcelona, Uruguay)

Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid, Spain)

Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid, Slovenia)

Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool, Brazil)

Dries Mertens (Napoli, Belgium)

Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City, Belgium)

Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich, Poland)

David De Gea (Manchester United, Spain)

Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur, England)

Edin Dzeko (AS Roma, Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid, France)

Toni Kroos (Real Madrid, Germany)

Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus, Italy)

Sadio Mane (Liverpool, Senegal)

Radamel Falcao (AS Monaco, Colombia)

Messi (Barcelona, Argentina)

Mats Hummels (Bayern Munich, Germany)

Edinson Cavani (PSG, Uruguay)

Karim Benzema (Real Madrid, France)

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund, Gabon)

Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid, Portugal)

Eden Hazard (Chelsea, Belgium)

Leonardo Bonucci (AC Milan, Italy)

Isco (Real Madrid, Spain)

Kylian Mbappe (PSG, France)