World champions Toni Kroos and Mats Hummels are the only German players to have been nominated for the prestigious Ballon d’Or. French magazine France Football revealed a 30-man shortlist on Monday, which included the two Die Mannschaft players, two other Bundesliga stars Robert Lewandowski (Bayern München) and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund), and serial winners Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
The Ballon d’Or has been awarded to the year’s most outstanding player since 1956. Originally, only European players were considered, before that was changed to any player at a European club in 1995, and then any professional footballer in 2007.
The Ballon d’Or was awarded by FIFA between 2010 and 2015 as part of a deal with France Football, replacing the World Footballer of the Year accolade during that timeframe. Since 2016, France Football themselves have handed out the award, while FIFA have introduced “The Best”.
World champions Toni Kroos and Mats Hummels are the only German players to have been nominated for the prestigious Ballon d’Or. French magazine France Football revealed a 30-man shortlist on Monday, which included the two Die Mannschaft players, two other Bundesliga stars Robert Lewandowski (Bayern München) and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund), and serial winners Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
The Ballon d’Or has been awarded to the year’s most outstanding player since 1956. Originally, only European players were considered, before that was changed to any player at a European club in 1995, and then any professional footballer in 2007.
The Ballon d’Or was awarded by FIFA between 2010 and 2015 as part of a deal with France Football, replacing the World Footballer of the Year accolade during that timeframe. Since 2016, France Football themselves have handed out the award, while FIFA have introduced “The Best”.
