News Digest

Reality bites for Suarez as goal machine is snubbed from Ballon d’Or list

Controversial Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez has been left off the 23-man shortlist for the prestigious FIFA Ballon d’Or award. Current English Premier League leaders Chelsea have a strong presence among the names, with Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois joining Diego Costa and Eden Hazard on the list. Manchester United winger Angel di Maria and Manchester City’s Yaya Toure have also been nominated. Lionel Messi, whose four Ballon d’Or trophies makes him the most-awarded player in history, represents Barcelona along with Neymar Junior, Javier Mascherano and Andres Iniesta - but Luis Suarez is left off the list, despite being awarded the Golden Shoe last week.

This year, I don’t think there is much doubt. I don’t think there’s any point in even talking about it.

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti on Cristiano Ronaldo’s chances of winning the Ballon d’Or this year

Two-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo, who won last year’s award and is earmarked as the favourite again, leads six Real Madrid players among the choices - the most of any team - along with Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Toni Kroos, Sergio Ramos and James Rodriguez. There are six German players, with Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mario Gotze joining Kroos. The list is completed by Paris Saint-Germain and Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba, and Netherlands and Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben. Meanwhile, three Premier League managers have been shortlisted for FIFA’s Coach of the Year including Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, Manchester United’s new manager Louis van Gaal and title-winning Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini.