5 players who deserved to be on the 30 man Ballon d'Or shortlist

The much awaited 30 man Ballon d'Or nominee list is finally out and although the usual suspects like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann and Luis Suarez make the list, there are some players who had very good individual campaigns but failed to make the cut.

Some of these players might not be the most glamorous players in the world, but their contributions to the team’s success was vital nevertheless. We take a look at 5 players who deserved to be on the 30 man shortlist.

#5 Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid)

Chosen as the best goalkeeper in La Liga ahead of Keylor Navas, Jan Oblak was truly the standout young goalkeeper in the La Liga last season. Though Navas had a fantastic season in front of the goal for Real Madrid, Oblak was better than the Costa Rican international in all aspects.

Backed up by the Rojiblancos defensive unit, Oblak conceded only 18 goals the entire season and his saves were extremely crucial in Atletico Madrid’s strong performances in the League last season.

In the 38 matches he played last season, the Slovenian goalkeeper kept an incredible 24 clean sheets and saved an average of 3.5 shots for every goal scored. Oblak also played an integral role in Atletico’s run to the Champions League final and his efforts definitely merited an inclusion in the 30 man Ballon d'Or nomination list.