Kane, Messi, Neymar, Ronaldo shortlisted
Tottenham striker Harry Kane has been named on the 30-man shortlist for the 2017 Ballon d’Or award given to the world’s best player.
Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard is among six other Premier League players picked by France Football magazine for the prestigious prize.
David de Gea, Philippe Coutinho and Sadio Mane, Kevin de Bruyne and N’Golo Kante, have also been chosen. Gareth Bale misses out, while Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are selected.
Kane, 24, has been picked on the shortlist for the first time after scoring 43 goals in 37 games for club and country in 2017.
Wales forward Bale, 28, has only scored five goals for Real Madrid this year, struggling for form and fitness at the end of last season.
Real Madrid forward Ronaldo, 32, beat Barcelona’s Messi to win the award for a fourth time last year.
Messi, 30, has claimed the prize on five occasions, while no player other than the Argentine or his Portuguese rival has won since Brazil midfielder Kaka in 2007.
Ballon d’Or shortlist
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Leonardo Bonucci (AC Milan),Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Edinson Cavani (Paris St-Germain Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool), Kevin de Bruyne(Manchester City), David de Gea (Manchester United), Paulo Dybala (Juventus), Edin Dzeko (Roma) , Radamel Falcao (Monaco), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid), Eden Hazard (Chelsea, Mats Hummels (Bayern), Isco (Real Madrid), Harry Kane (Tottenham), N’Golo Kante (Chelsea), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Robert Lewandowski(Bayern Munich, Sadio Mane (Liverpool ), Marcelo(Real Madrid), Kylian Mbappe (Paris St-Germain),Dries Mertens (Napoli), Lionel Messi (Barcelona) Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Neymar (Paris St-Germain), Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) , Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Luis Suarez (Barcelona).