FIFA Ballon d'Or 2012 list revealed

FIFA have announced their 23-man shortlist for the 2012 Ballon d’Or. As always, Ronaldo and Messi start as favourites, although Falcao and Robin van Persie have an outside chance. The 23-man list will be shortened to a 3-man list at the end of November, and the winner will be announced on January 7th, 2013.

Here’s the full list:

Sergio Aguero (Argentina, Manchester City)

Mario Balotelli (Italy, Manchester City)

Karim Benzema (France, Real Madrid)

Gianluigi Buffon (Italy, Juventus)

Sergio Busquets (Spain, FC Barcelona)

Iker Casillas (Spain, Real Madrid)

Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast, Chelsea and Shanghai Shenhua)

Radamel Falcao (Colombia, Atletico Madrid)

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden, AC Milan and Paris-SG)

Andrés Iniesta (Spain, FC Barcelona)

Lionel Messi (Argentina, FC Barcelona)

Manuel Neuer (Germany, Bayern Munich)

Neymar (Brazil, Santos)

Mesut Özil (Germany, Real Madrid)

Gerard Piqué (Spain, FC Barcelona)

Andrea Pirlo (Italy, Juventus)

Sergio Ramos (Spain, Real Madrid)

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Real Madrid)

Wayne Rooney (England, Manchester United)

Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast, Manchester City)

Robin van Persie (Holland, Arsenal and Manchester United)

Xabi Alonso (Spain, Real Madrid)

Xavi Hernandez (Spain, FC Barcelona)