Eight Latin Americans among the 23 Finalists for the Ballon d’Or

Eight players from Latin America were on the list of 23 finalists for the Balloon d’Or as an award to their results in 2015, reported today the International Association Football Federation (FIFA).

Among all, the offensive trident from the Spanish club Barcelona stands out, led by Argentinean Lionel Messi, together with the Brazilian Neymar da Silva and the Uruguayan Luis Suárez.

Also, Chileans Alexis Sánchez and Arturo Vidal, Colombian James Rodríguez and Argentineans Javier Mascherano and Sergio Aguero appear on the list.

For clubs, the Catalan is the most represented team with six players, among whom Spanish Andrés Iniesta and Croatian Ivan Rakitic are included, and Real Madrid is next in the list with five players.

From the latter club mentioned repeats the current winner, Cristiano Ronaldo, who just received his Golden Boot as top scorer in Europe, but the favorite is Messi, a strut at coronations in the Champions League, the King’s Cup and the Spanish League.

According to the announcement of FIFA and the French magazine France Football, on November 30, the list will be reduced to three finalists, and the winner will be announced on January 11 in Zurich.

List of the 23 Candidates for the Balloon d’Or, in alphabetical order:

Sergio Agüero (Argentina / Manchester City)

Gareth Bale (Wales / Real Madrid),

Karim Benzema (France / Real Madrid),

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal / Real Madrid),

Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium / Wolfsburg / Manchester City),

Eden Hazard (Belgium / Chelsea),

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden / Paris Saint-Germain),

Andrés Iniesta (Spain / FC Barcelona),

Toni Kroos (Germany / Real Madrid),

Robert Lewandowski (Poland / FC Bayern Munich),

Javier Mascherano (Argentina / FC Barcelona),

Lionel Messi (Argentina / FC Barcelona),

Thomas Müller (Germany / FC Bayern Munich),

Manuel Neuer (Germany / FC Bayern Munich),

Neymar da Silva (Brazil / FC Barcelona),

Paul Pogba (France / Juventus)

Ivan Rakitic (Croatia / FC Barcelona),

Arjen Robben (Netherlands / FC Bayern Munich),

James Rodríguez (Colombia / Real Madrid),

Alexis Sánchez (Chile / Arsenal),

Luis Suárez (Uruguay / FC Barcelona),

Yaya Touré (Ivory Coast / Manchester City),

Arturo Vidal (Chile / Juventus / FC Bayern Munich).