The list of the players candidate to the Golden Ball FIFA 2010 by France Football

Golden Ball 2010: The French magazine France Football has publicly issued the list of 23 candidates for the Golden Ball for 2010 FIFA as the best football player in the calendar year now ending.

For the first time the Golden Ball will be unique by combining the old trophy of the FIFA World Player (which almost always coincided). The trophy will be presented next January 10, 2011 in Zurich.

As mentioned, 23 players are candidates to win the Ballon d'Or. As largely preventable, there are many leaders in the 2010 World Cup as well as the protagonists of the last UEFA Champions League.

Very surprising, the absence of Diego Milito among candidates. El Principe has led to the historic victory of the Inter Scudetto, Italian Cup and Champions League and, while not disputing a world-leading, it seemed right to deserve a nomination for the award. On the contrary there is Samuel Eto'o who is experiencing a wonderful time to form. The other candidates for the award Inter Julio Cesar, Maicon and Sneijder. No Italian player was nominated for the award, no surprises here.

To contend for the 2010 Ballon d'Or should be, in all likelihood, Andres Iniesta of Barcelona and Inter Wesley Sneijder, major players in the Champions League and World Cup in South Africa. But be careful with Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the league are putting together record numbers.

The candidates to the Golden Ball 2010:

• Iker Casillas – Spain – Real Madrid
• Daniel Alves – Brazil – Barcelona
• Didier Drogba – Ivory Coast – Chelsea
• Samuel Eto'o – Camerun – Inter
• Cesc Fabregas – Spain – Arsenal
• Diego Forlan – Uruguay – Atletico de Madrid
• Asamoah Gyan – Ghana – Rennes / Sunderland
• Andres Iniesta – Spain – Barcelona
• Julio Cesar – Brazil – Inter
• Miroslav Klose – Germany – Bayern Munich
• Philipp Lahm – Germany – Bayern Munich
• Maicon – Brazil – Inter
• Lionel Messi – Argentina – Barcelona
• Thomas Muller – Germany – Bayern Munich
• Mesut Ozil – Germany – Werder Bremen / Real Madrid
• Carles Puyol – Spain – Barcelona
• Arjen Robben – Netherlands – Bayern Munich
• Cristiano Ronaldo – Portugal – Real Madrid
• Bastian Schweinsteiger – Germany – Bayern Munich
• Wesley Sneijder – Netherlands – Inter
• David Villa – Spain – Barcelona / Valencia
• Xabi Alonso – Spain – Real Madrid
• Xavi Hernandez – Spain – Barcelona

The news on the FIFA website.