Newly-crowned European Football of the Year Franck Ribery will be hoping to end Lionel Messi’s domination of the world player award in the 2013 Ballon d’Or vote.
Ribery joins Messi, winner for the past four years, on a list of 23 candidates named by football’s world governing body FIFA and France Football on Tuesday.
The France midfielder is accompanied by Bayern Munich teammates Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Mueller, Arjen Robben and keeper Manuel Neuer on the list, reflecting a year in which Bayern won the Champions League and German league and cup double.
ADVERTISEMENT
Mesut Oezil of Arsenal is a fifth German international among the candidates. Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski completes a contingent of eight players from the Bundesliga.
The list has been drawn up by the FIFA football committee and experts from France Football.
The winner will be chosen by a vote by the captains and coaches of the men’s national teams, and international media representatives selected by France Football.
ADVERTISEMENT