Foxes striker in running for Ballon d’Or award

Vardy joins Messi and Ronaldo among 30 players in contention

Jamie Vardy has been nominated for the Ballon d’Or award alongside the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale after helping Leicester win the Premier League title.

The 29-year-old striker, who scored 24 goals in a historic season for the Foxes, was named on a 30-man list of nominees for the prestigious award, which is currently held by Barcelona star Messi.

France Football, the sole organisers of the prize given to the best footballer in the world following a split from Fifa, revealed Vardy was in contention in a tweet published yesterday evening.

The Sheffield-born player is the only Englishman nominated, while Real Madrid’s Bale represents Wales after his heroics at Euro 2016.

Vardy is not the only Leicester City player whose achievements have been recognised, however.

Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez, the PFA Players’ Player of the Year, is also on the shortlist.

Manchester City and city rivals United will hope Sergio Aguero, Kevin De Bruyne, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba threaten the top three when journalists begin the next round of voting, while West Ham’s free-kick specialist Dimitri Payet and Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris are also contenders.

Regular victors Messi and Ronaldo – the latter having endured a lean year by his usual prolific standards – will face stiff competition from the likes of Luis Suarez, Neymar and Robert Lewandowski.

Breakthrough stars Paulo Dybala, Antoine Griezmann and PierreEmerick Aubameyang will provide further cause for concern to the game’s established top order, with Messi and Ronaldo the only winners since 2008.

Among the surprise omissions from the list are Manchester United keeper David De Gea, Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil and Juventus centre-back Leonardo Bonucci.

Striker Denis Law is the only Scot to have won the prize, in 1964.

Jamie Vardy: scored 24 goals in league-winning season.