A breakdown of the FIFA Ballon d’Or shortlist
According to FIFA, these men are 55 of the best footballers who are deserving of a recognition. We decided to break it down by position, nationality and by the teams the play for. La Liga and Spain dominates. It wouldn’t be a shocker if the final 3 are related to Spain in some fashion.
Goalkeepers (5):
- Gianluigi Buffon (Italy/Juventus)
- Iker Casillas (Spain/FC Porto)
- David De Gea (Spain/Manchester United)
- Keylor Navas (Costa Rica/Real Madrid)
- Manuel Neuer (Germany/FC Bayern Munich)
Defenders (20):
- David Alaba (Austria/FC Bayern Munich)
- Jordi Alba (Spain/FC Barcelona)
- Jérôme Boateng (Germany/FC Bayern Munich)
- Daniel Carvajal (Spain/Real Madrid)
- Giorgio Chiellini (Italy/Juventus)
- Dani Alves (Brazil/FC Barcelona)
- David Luiz (Brazil/Paris Saint-Germain)
- Diego Godín (Uruguay/Atlético Madrid)
- Mats Hummels (Germany/Borussia Dortmund)
- Branislav Ivanović (Serbia/Chelsea)
- Vincent Kompany (Belgium/Manchester City)
- Philipp Lahm (Germany/FC Bayern Munich)
- Marcelo (Brazil/Real Madrid)
- Javier Mascherano (Argentina/FC Barcelona)
- Pepe (Portugal/Real Madrid)
- Gerard Piqué (Spain/FC Barcelona)
- Sergio Ramos (Spain/Real Madrid)
- John Terry (England/Chelsea)
- Thiago Silva (Brazil/Paris Saint-Germain)
- Raphaël Varane (France/Real Madrid)
Midfielders (15):
- Thiago Alcântara (Spain/FC Bayern Munich)
- Xabi Alonso (Spain/FC Bayern Munich)
- Sergio Busquets (Spain/FC Barcelona)
- Eden Hazard (Belgium/Chelsea)
- Andrés Iniesta (Spain/FC Barcelona)
- Toni Kroos (Germany/Real Madrid)
- Luka Modrić (Croatia/Real Madrid)
- Andrea Pirlo (Italy/New York City FC)
- Paul Pogba (France/Juventus)
- Ivan Rakitić (Croatia/FC Barcelona)
- James Rodríguez (Colombia/Real Madrid)
- David Silva (Spain/Manchester City)
- Yaya Touré (Côte d’Ivoire/Manchester City)
- Marco Verratti (Italy/Paris Saint-Germain)
- Arturo Vidal (Chile/FC Bayern Munich)
Strikers (15):
- Sergio Agüero (Argentina/Manchester City)
- Gareth Bale (Wales/Real Madrid)
- Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid)
- Douglas Costa (Brazil/FC Bayern Munich)
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid)
- Zlatan Ibrahimović (Sweden/Paris Saint-Germain)
- Robert Lewandowski (Poland/FC Bayern Munich)
- Lionel Messi (Argentina/FC Barcelona)
- Thomas Müller (Germany/FC Bayern Munich)
- Neymar (Brazil/FC Barcelona)
- Arjen Robben (Netherlands/FC Bayern Munich)
- Wayne Rooney (England/Manchester United)
- Alexis Sánchez (Chile/Arsenal)
- Luis Suárez (Uruguay/FC Barcelona)
- Carlos Tevez (Argentina/Boca Juniors)
Represented Nations on the List
Spain (11)
- Iker Casillas
- David De Gea
- Jordi Alba
- Daniel Carvajal
- Gerard Pique
- Sergio Ramos
- Thiago Alcantara
- Xabi Alonso
- Sergio Busquets
- Andres Iniesta
- David Silva
Germany (6)
- Manuel Neuer
- Jerome Boateng
- Mats Hummels
- Philipp Lahm
- Toni Kroos
- Thomas Muller
Brazil (6)
- Dani Alves
- David Luiz
- Marcelo
- Thiago Silva
- Douglas Costa
- Neymar
Argentina (4)
- Javier Mascherano
- Sergio Aguero
- Lionel Messi
- Carlos Tevez
Italy (4)
- Gianluigi Buffon
- Giorgio Chiellini
- Andrea Pirlo
- Marco Verratti
France (3)
- Raphael Varane
- Paul Pogba
- Karim Benzema
Uruguay (2)
- Diego Godin
- Luis Suarez
Portugal (2)
- Pepe
- Cristiano Ronaldo
Belgium (2)
- Vincent Kompany
- Eden Hazard
Chile (2)
- Arturo Vidal
- Alexis Sanchez
England (2)
- John Terry
- Wayne Rooney
Croatia (2)
- Luka Modric
- Ivan Rakitic
Costa Rica
- Keylor Navas
Austria
- David Alaba
Serbia
- Branislav Ivanovic
Colombia
- James Rodriguez
Cote d’Ivoire
- Yaya Toure
Wales
- Gareth Bale
Sweden
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Netherlands
- Arjen Robben
Poland
- Robert Lewandowski
LEAGUES
La Liga (Spain)
- Jordi Alba (FC Barcelona)
- Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid)
- Gerard Pique (FC Barcelona)
- Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)
- Sergio Busquets (FC Barcelona)
- Andres Iniesta (FC Barcelona)
- Keylor Navas (Real Madrid)
- Toni Kroos (Real Madrid)
- Dani Alves (FC Barcelona)
- Marcelo (Real Madrid)
- Neymar (FC Barcelona)
- Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid)
- Luis Suarez (FC Barcelona)
- Javier Mascherano (FC Barcelona)
- Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona)
- Pepe (Real Madrid)
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
- Raphael Varane (Real Madrid)
- Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
- Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
- Ivan Rakitic (FC Barcelona)
- James Rodriguez (Real Madrid)
- Gareth Bale (Real Madrid)
Premiership (England)
- David De Gea (Manchester United)
- David Silva (Manchester City)
- Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea)
- Vincent Kompany (Manchester City)
- Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
- Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
- John Terry (Chelsea)
- Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
- Yaya Toure ( Manchester City)
- Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal)
Bundesliga (Germany)
- Thiago Alcantara (Bayern Munich)
- Xabi Alonso (Bayern Munich)
- Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich)
- Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich)
- Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund)
- Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich)
- Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich)
- David Alaba (Bayern Munich)
- Arturo Vidal (Juventus, Italy) (Bayern Munich)***
- Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich)
- Douglas Costa (Bayern Munich)
- Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Serie A (Italy)
- Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus)
- Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)
- Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)***
- Carlos Tevez (Juventus)***
- Paul Pogba (Juventus)
- Arturo Vidal (Juventus)***
Ligue 1 (France)
- Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain)
- David Luiz (Paris Saint-Germain)
- Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain)
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Paris Saint Germain)
Primeira Liga (Portugal)
- Iker Casillas (Porto)
Major League Soccer (USA)
- Andrea Pirlo
Argentine Primera División
- Carlos Tevez
*** Arturo Vidal, Carlos Tevez, Andrea Pirlo were Juventus players in Italian Serie A. Vidal is with Bayern Munich, Carlos Tevez is with Boca Juniors and Andrea Pirlo is with New York City FC.
