Football: Messi, Neymar, Ronaldo on Ballon d'Or shortlist

GENEVA

Lionel Messi and Neymar from Barcelona will compete with Real Madrid's Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo for the FIFA Ballon d'Or award, which designates the best player of the year.

The contenders for 2015 FIFA Ballon d’Or Award were announced Monday on FIFA.com.

The nominees for the FIFA Ballon d’Or are: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid), Lionel Messi (Argentina/FC Barcelona) and Neymar (Brazil/FC Barcelona).

Ronaldo received the award for the past two years. Previously, Messi had claimed it four years in a row.

Meanwhile, the nominees for the women’s award for best player of 2015 are as follows:

Carli Lloyd (USA/Houston Dash)

Aya Miyama (Japan/Okayama Yunogo Belle)

Celia Sasic (Germany/1. FFC Frankfurt)

The candidates for the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Men’s Football and FIFA World Coach of the Year for Women’s Football awards have also been announced.

The contenders for the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Men’s Football award are as follows:

Pep Guardiola (Spain/FC Bayern Munich)

Luis Enrique Martinez (Spain/FC Barcelona)

Jorge Sampaoli (Argentine/Chilean national team)

The contenders for the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Women’s Football award are as follows:

Jill Ellis (USA/USA national team)

Mark Sampson (Wales/English national team)

Norio Sasaki (Japan/Japanese national team)

The three nominees for the FIFA Puskas Award for the "most beautiful goal of the year" were announced.

The three nominated goals are as follows:

Alessandro Florenzi – 16.09.2015, AS Roma – FC Barcelona, UEFA Champions League

Wendell Lira – 11.03.2015, Atletico-GO – Goianesia, Campeonato Goiano (Brazil)

Lionel Messi – 30.05.2015, Athletic Bilbao - FC Barcelona, Copa del Rey (Spain).

All of the awards will be presented at the FIFA Ballon d’Or award ceremony at the Kongresshaus in Zurich on Jan. 11, 2016.