Johan Cruyff 1947 - 2016

Johan Cruyff has died of cancer aged 68, his official website has announced.

Cruyff, who made his name as a forward with Ajax and Barcelona, won the Ballon d'Or three times.

He won three consecutive European Cups with Ajax and went on to manage Barcelona to their first European Cup win in 1992.

Cruyff helped his country reach the World Cup final in 1974, where they lost to West Germany.

In February, Cruyff said he felt he was "2-0 up in a match" against lung cancer and he was "sure I will end up winning".

Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, Cruyff had double heart bypass surgery in 1991.

Barcelona won four consecutive La Liga titles from 1990-91 to 1993-94 under his guidance.

He is survived by his wife Danny Coster and children Susila, Chantal and Jordi.

#RIP #14nomore 

Related articles

• Vicenza Calcio - The Tumultuous Journey of one of Italy's Oldest Clubs
• Barcelona's Lionel Messi scores 300th La Liga goal against Sporting Gijon
• Barcelona unmasked: How rondos and hard work make Lionel Messi even better
• Messi scores 300th league goal for Barcelona
• Messi scores 300th league goal for Barcelona
• Messi scores 300th league goal for Barcelona

Barcelona Held to Draw at Villareal

Getty Images

Barcelona drew 2-2 at Villarreal after squandering a two-goal lead on Sunday, as the defending champions settled for increasing their lead in the Spanish league to nine points.

Ivan Rakitic opened the scoring in the 20th minute and Neymar added a penalty in the 41st, after the referee had sent off the Villarreal coach, Marcelino García, for protesting.

But fourth-placed Villarreal rallied with a goal from the forward Cédric Bakambu in the 57th before the Barcelona substitute Jérémy Mathieu knocked in an own goal in the 63rd.

Barcelona’s 12-match winning streak ended a day after second-placed Atlético Madrid stumbled in a 2-1 loss at Sporting Gijon.

Barcelona extended their Spanish record unbeaten streak to 39 consecutive games in all competitions as they begin the run-in to maintaining the domestic crown with eight games left. Next weekend Luis Enrique’s side host Real Madrid, who trail the pacesetters by 13 points, before hosting Sevilla later on Sunday.

“It was a very intense game against one of the best teams in the league which always presses even more in its stadium,” Rakitic said. “We have to be happy with the result, even if it hurts after being up two goals.”

As promised, the match between two of the most attractive attacking squads produced an entertaining contest from start to finish.

Bakambu was particularly inspired. He caused the Barcelona center-back Gerard Pique, and replacement Mathieu, problems until he was substituted due to an apparent leg problem in the second half.

Less than a minute into the match, Bakambu’s pass hit his team-mate Manuel Trigueros, deflected off Barcelona’s Arda Turan, and reached the post before the goalkeeper Claudio Bravo smothered it.

Bravo saved a shot by Bakambu as the host dictated the pace until Rakitic swayed the match in Barcelona’s favor.

The Croatia midfielder fired a ball through a packed area that had fallen to him when Villarreal defender Victor Ruiz disrupted a free kick by Lionel Messi destined for Luis Suárez.

García was ejected in the 24th and spent the rest of the match from a private box apparently for protesting a handball by Piqué that went unpunished. Piqué had already been booked for a handball to stop a Villarreal counterattack.

Bakambu came within inches of reaching a cross that ran across the goalmouth, but Barcelona struck a second time after Messi threaded a pass forward to meet Neymar’s run.

The goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo brought down the Brazil striker, colliding with his left leg just before he could paw the ball away. Neymar then waited until Asenjo leaned one way before floating his spot kick into the other side of the net for his 21st league goal and 27th in all competitions this season.

But far from fading, Villarreal recovered all of their verve from the start of the match after half-time, and Bakambu finally got his goal when he slotted in a ball that Bravo had parried from a shot by Denis Suárez.

“This team never gives up,” Asenjo said. “At half-time we said ’let’s forget what has happened and play like it was 0-0’.”

Villarreal almost scored again seconds later but Javier Mascherano intercepted Bakambu’s pass for the unmarked Roberto Soldado.

Neymar almost quashed the host’s rally when he drew an excellent save from Asenjo in the 60th, but Villarreal quickly levelled the score when a corner kick hit Mathieu and fell into the net.

Both sides had their chances to claim a winning goal. Rakitic’s header was turned away by Asenjo in the 71st, while Javier Mascherano was again critical to stopping Adrián López from streaking toward Bravo’s goal in stoppage time.

A moment of silence was held before the match at El Madrigal for the victims of a bus accident in north-east Spain that left at least 13 dead.

Related articles

• Champions League: Messi busts Cech voodoo as Barcelona beat feisty Arsenal 2-0
• Barcelona stars celebrate beating Arsenal on Instagram
• Football News & Rumors: Turkey Captain Arda Turan Admits Barcelona Dream, Not Man United or Chelsea
• Barcelona's Lionel Messi scores 300th La Liga goal against Sporting Gijon
• Arsenal 0-2 Barcelona - Juventus 2-2 Bayern Munich: Uefa Champions League last 16 live
• Messi scores 300th league goal for Barcelona

Barca Widen Lead to Eleven Points

Getty Images

Lionel Messi continued his impressive run by scoring two goals in Barcelona’s 4-0 win over Eibar, keeping his team unbeaten and maintaining a comfortable lead entering the final stretch of the Spanish league.

A Munir tap-in, two Lionel Messi strikes and Luis Suárez’s well-taken fourth saw off Eibar to send Barcelona 11 points clear at the top of La Liga

Messi scored with a dribble and low finish shortly before half-time and added a penalty in the 76th minute, giving Barcelona a provisional 11-point advantage over Atlético Madrid, who play at Valencia later on Sunday.

Lionel Messi has scored 15 goals in the last 10 matches, and eight in the past four. Munir El Haddadi opened the scoring in the eighth minute after a cross by Luis Suárez, who registered his league-leading 26th goal in the final stages.

It was Barcelona’s 11th successive win in the league and extended the club’s unbeaten run to 36 games in all competitions.

Javier Mascherano’s late booking means he will be suspended for next week’s game against Getafe, while Marc Bartra’s introduction moves him onto 100 appearances for the club.

The latest victory for the Catalans puts them eleven points clear of Atlético Madrid before their tricky trip to Valencia on Sunday night.

Related articles

• Lionel Messi Surpasses 300 Goals in the Spanish League
• Arsenal vs. Barcelona: Lineups
• Barcelona's Lionel Messi scores 300th La Liga goal against Sporting Gijon
• Magnificent Messi leaves Arsenal's hopes in tatters
• Messi scores 300th league goal for Barcelona
• Messi scores 300th league goal for Barcelona

Ballon d'Or Nominations

Gareth Bale is the only Brit in the running for this year's Ballon d'Or - but three Manchester City players are among five Premier League stars also in contention.

Bale has played a vital role in helping Wales qualify for a major finals tournament for the first time since 1958, scoring seven goals in their successful European Qualifiers campaign.

He has attracted some criticism from some Real Madrid fans in recent months and has only scored twice for them this season, with both goals coming in a 5-0 win against Real Betis in August.

Bale has still played an important role for the Spanish giants, however, and struck 17 times for them last term.

The attacker is joined on the 23-man shortlist by five Premier League stars, with Sergio Aguero one of three who hail from the Etihad Stadium.

He was the competition's top scorer last season with 26 goals and has eight more this term including five against Newcastle at the start of the month.

Aguero is included among the candidates along with his team-mate Yaya Toure, a scorer 13 times for his club and country Ivory Coast in 2014/15.

New signing Kevin De Bruyne - who has made a stunning start to his time at City - is also on the shortlist, largely for the work he did at previous club Wolfsburg.

Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez is on the list and he has arguably been the star turn in the division so far this season.

Chelsea forward Eden Hazard, last term's PFA Player of the Year, is the final player of the English-based quintet.

There are few other surprises among the other contenders, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba, Neymar, Robert Lewandowski and Luis Suarez all named.

Karim Benzema, Andres Iniesta, Toni Kroos, Javier Mascherano, Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer, Ivan Rakitic, Arjen Robben, James Rodriguez and Arturo Vidal complete the selection.

Spain's La Liga - with 11 - leads the way in terms of nominations by league, while Germany's Bundesliga has six nominees. There are two from Italy's Serie A and one - Ibrahimovic - from France's Ligue 1.

Players who have transferred during the past year are recognised for their contribution to both clubs.

Jose Mourinho has had a difficult start to Chelsea's title defence but he is a nominee for the manager's award after their emphatic Premier League win last season.

Arsenal's Arsene Wenger is also included on the 10-man shortlist with the likes of Carlo Ancelotti, Laurent Blanc, Pep Guardiola, Luis Enrique and Diego Simeone.

Chile boss Jorge Sampaoli, Massimiliano Allegri and Unai Emery are the final three names shortlisted and the winners will be announced in Zurich on January 11.

Voting will run from next Monday until November 20, with the captain and manager of each international football team having a vote.

International media representatives selected by France Football will also be involved in the process, with a final three-man shortlist to be announced on November 30.

FIFA Ballon d'Or shortlist: 

Sergio Aguero (Argentina/Manchester City), Gareth Bale (Wales/Real Madrid), Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid), Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/Manchester City), Eden Hazard (Belgium/Chelsea), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden/Paris Saint-Germain), Andres Iniesta (Spain/Barcelona), Toni Kroos (Germany/Real Madrid), Robert Lewandowski (Poland/Bayern Munich), Javier Mascherano (Argentina/Barcelona), Lionel Messi (Argentina/Barcelona), Thomas Muller (Germany/Bayern Munich), Manuel Neuer (Germany/Bayern Munich), Neymar (Brazil/Barcelona), Paul Pogba (France/Juventus), Ivan Rakitic (Croatia/Barcelona), Arjen Robben (Netherlands/Bayern Munich), James Rodriguez (Colombia/Real Madrid), Alexis Sanchez (Chile/Arsenal), Luis Suarez (Uruguay/Barcelona), Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast/Manchester City), Arturo Vidal (Chile/Bayern Munich).

FIFA World Coach of the Year for Men's Football shortlist:

Massimiliano Allegri (Juventus), Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid), Laurent Blanc (Paris Saint-Germain), Unai Emery (Sevilla), Pep Guardiola (FC Bayern Munich), Luis Enrique (Barcelona), Jose Mourinho (Chelsea), Jorge Sampaoli (Chile), Diego Simeone (Atletico Madrid), Arsene Wenger (Arsenal).

Related articles

• Eden Hazard hopes his goals for Belgium can kick-start his Chelsea season (Video)
• FIFA 16: Elite Player Ratings, Release Date and New Star Face Scans
• Most powerful agents in sport: Forbes includes Jorge Mendes and Gareth Bale representative in list
• Jorge Mendes named as world's most powerful football agent
• Gareth Bale calf injury confirmed by Real Madrid
• Espanyol vs Real Madrid LIVE La Liga football score: Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Co return to La Liga action

Messi Unable to Evade Tax Judge

Lionel Messi is to face court trial for alleged tax evasion after a Spanish court rejected the Barcelona forward's appeal against his prosecution.

Messi and his father have been accused of defrauding the Spanish state of more than €4 million between 2007 and 2009.

Spain's public prosecutor argued in June that Messi's father Jorge was responsible for the family's finances and not the four-times World Player of the Year.

A court in Barcelona decided, however, Messi could have known about and approved the creation of a web of shell companies that were allegedly used to evade taxes due on income from image rights.

The appeal against that decision has been rejected, according to court documents published on Friday.

"In this type of crime, it is not necessary for someone to have complete knowledge of all the accounting and business operations nor the exact quantity, rather it is sufficient to be aware of the designs to commit fraud and consent to them," the judge ruled.

The income relates to Messi's image rights, including deals with Banco Sabadell, Danone, Adidas, Pepsi-Cola and Proctor and Gamble.

They have denied wrongdoing.

Related articles

• Tax charges against Messi dropped
• Messi in Spain tax fraud hearing
• Lionel Messi expected to face trial over alleged tax fraud
• Messi to face alleged tax evasion charges
• Lionel Messi to be prosecuted for alleged tax evasion
• undefined

Bale Joins Ballon d'Or Squad

Getty Images

Gareth Bale is on the 23-man shortlist for the Fifa men's world footballer of the year award.

Wales forward Bale, 24, scored 26 goals for Tottenham last season before an £85m move to Real Madrid in the summer.

Five Premier League players in Eden Hazard, Mesut Ozil, Luis Suarez, Yaya Toure and Robin van Persie have also been nominated for the Ballon d'Or.

Barcelona's Lionel Messi will be looking to retain the award he has won for four years running.

Messi's club team-mates Andres Iniesta, Neymar - who moved to the Nou Camp from Santos in the summer - and Xavi also make the shortlist, as does Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid.

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney made the shortlist last year but has failed to do so this time, with no player from England, Scotland or Northern Ireland represented in the final 23.

Bayern Munich beat Barcelona on the way to winning the Champions League last season and they have six players up for the award.

The 23-man list will be whittled down to three in December before the winners will be announced on 13 January, 2014 in Zurich.

In terms of countries, Germany have the most players nominated with five, while Brazil, Netherlands, Spain and Uruguay have two apiece.

Argentina, Belgium, Colombia, France, Italy, Ivory Coast, Poland, Portugal, Sweden and Wales each have one of their players in contention.

Bayern claimed the German league title and German Cup as they completed the treble in 2012-13 and their coach Jupp Heynckes, who has since been replaced by Pep Guardiola, is up for the coach of the year award.

Former Manchester United coach Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsenal's Arsene Wenger, Chelsea's Jose Mourinho and Napoli's Rafael Benitez are also part of the 10-man list in the running for coach of the year.

Benitez led Chelsea to the Europa League trophy last season before leaving for Napoli and being replaced at Stamford Bridge by Mourinho, who left Real Madrid in the summer after failing to win the La Liga or Champions League.

The winners will be voted for by the captains and head coaches of the men's national teams as well as by international media representatives selected by France Football magazine.

France Football started the Ballon d'Or to honour the European footballer of the year and England's Stanley Matthews was the first winner in 1956.

In 2007 the award became a world player gong and three years later it merged with Fifa's own world player honour.

Fifa world men's player of the year shortlist: Gareth Bale (Real Madrid/Wales), Edinson Cavani (Paris St-Germain/Uruguay), Radamel Falcao (Monaco/Colombia), Eden Hazard (Chelsea/Belgium), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Paris St-Germain/Sweden), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona/Spain), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich/Germany), Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund/Poland), Lionel Messi (Barcelona/Argentina), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich/Germany), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich/Germany), Neymar (Barcelona/Brazil), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal/Germany), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus/Italy), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich/France), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich/Netherlands), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid/Portugal), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich/Germany), Luis Suarez (Liverpool/Uruguay), Thiago Silva (Paris St-Germain/Brazil), Yaya Toure (Manchester City/Ivory Coast), Robin Van Persie (Manchester United/Netherlands), Xavi (Barcelona/Spain).

Fifa coach of the year shortlist: Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid), Rafael Benítez (Napoli), Antonio Conte (Juventus), Vicente Del Bosque (Spain), Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United's former manager), Jupp Heynckes (Bayern Munich's former coach), Jurgen Klopp (Borussia Dortmund), Jose Mourinho (Chelsea), Luiz Felipe Scolari (Brazil), Arsene Wenger (Arsenal).

Related articles

• Bale nominated for world player award
• Chelsea and Manchester United Stars Join Ronaldo and Messi on Ballon d'Or Shortlist
• Yaya Toure makes Ballon D'Or shortlist
• Ballon d'Or shortlist shows shortage of Premier League players - and no England stars
• Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard and Arsenal's Mesut Ozil among contenders for Ballon d'Or prize
• Five Premier League players shortlisted for Ballon d'Or

Messi Ronaldo Xavi Chase Ballon d'or

Lionel Messi could become only the third player in history to win the Fifa Ballon d'Or trophy three times at a ceremony in Zurich on Monday.

The Argentine heads the three-man shortlist, which includes Cristiano Ronaldo and Xavi.

Messi, 24, previously won the prestigious accolade in 2009 and 2010.

World Cup winners Zinedine Zidane, of France, and Brazil's Ronaldo are the only others to have won the award on three occasions.

The Barcelona star has already been hailed the "best in the world" by team-mate Gerard Pique.

Speaking to La Vanguardia newspaper he said: "(Messi) is leading the team to be one of the best ever - it is thanks to him that we have won so many titles.

"It is a pleasure to have him play for us, and he plays the same way as he did when he was 13, only now he does it more professionally and against the very best.

"We can only hope he keeps his level up for the maximum time - if he can improve that would be great. But we should not ask for anything more, and if he continues his love for the game it will keep him at the top for many years.

"It takes many years to get to the top level, and Leo is the best in the world."

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has been nominated for Goal of the Year, while boss Sir Alex Ferguson is in contention for Coach of the Year.

Rooney has been nominated for his stunning overhead kick against Manchester City last season.

Also on the shortlist is Messi's clever chip and volley over Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia in the Champions League last 16 last season, along with Neymar's incredible solo effort for Santos against Flamengo in July.

Ferguson is up against Barcelona's Pep Guardiola and Real Madrid's Jose Mourinho for the Coach of the Year award.

The 70-year-old Scot led United to a record 19th English championship - the 12th under his stewardship - as well as guiding the club to the Champions League final, where they lost 3-1 to Barcelona at Wembley.

Guardiola also steered Barca to success in La Liga, edging out Mourinho's Madrid, who gained some revenge by lifting the Copa del Rey with a 1-0 defeat of the Catalans in Valencia.

Argentina international Messi is the favourite to make it a hat-trick of Ballon d'Or wins after another stunning season for Barcelona, in which he has scored 53 goals in all competitions.

"It's great to win individual awards, especially the prestigious ones, but what comes first for me is winning matches and titles," Messi said.

World Cup winner Xavi was the architect of many of Messi's goals, while Portuguese star Ronaldo also scored 53 times for Real Madrid as they finished second in La Liga, won the Copa del Rey and lost out to Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals.

Ronaldo tweeted: "It's great to be again nominated as one of the Fifa Ballon d'Or final three contenders".

Brazil's Marta will be looking for a sixth consecutive Women's Player of the Year award but faces competition from Japan's Homare Sawa and American Abby Wambach.

The Ballon d'Or is voted for by journalists and the coaches and captains of international teams.

FIFA World XI Short List Announced

Five Englishmen have been nominated on a 55-man shortlist for the Fifa FIFPro World XI 2011 awards, dominated by Spain's Primera Liga.

Ashley Cole, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney have made the cut, along with another 12 players from the Premier League - 13 if you include the now-retired former Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar.

Spain's top league boasts 22 nominees, made up predominantly of players from European champions Barcelona and arch-rivals Real Madrid.

Nine of Barca's starting XI which beat Manchester United in the Champions League final in May are included - Pedro and Javier Mascherano the men to miss out - with Madrid boasting 10 inclusions.

Italy's Serie A contributes nine players to the list, four come from Germany's Bundesliga and one each from Russia's Premier League and Brazil's Campeonato.

The nominees were voted on by the 50,000 professional footballers belonging to the players' unions across the world that form FIFPro.

The final XI will be announced at the Fifa Ballon d'Or in Zurich on January 9th, 2012.

The 55-player shortlist in full (home country, current club) is:

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Italy, Juventus), Iker Casillas (Spain, Real Madrid), Manuel Neuer (Germany, Bayern Munich), Victor Valdes (Spain, Barcelona), Edwin van der Sar (Holland, retired, formerly Manchester United).

Defenders: Eric Abidal (France, Barcelona), Dani Alves (Brazil, Barcelona), Ricardo Carvalho (Portugal, Real Madrid), Ashley Cole (England, Chelsea), Patrice Evra (France, Manchester United), Rio Ferdinand (England, Manchester United), Vincent Kompany (Belgium, Manchester City), Philipp Lahm (Germany, Bayern Munich), Lucio (Brazil, Internazionale), David Luiz (Brazil, Chelsea), Maicon (Brazil, Internazionale), Marcelo (Brazil, Real Madrid), Alessandro Nesta (Italy, AC Milan), Pepe (Portugal, Real Madrid), Gerard Pique (Spain, Barcelona), Carles Puyol (Spain, Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Spain, Real Madrid), Thiago Silva (Brazil, AC Milan), John Terry (England, Chelsea), Nemanja Vidic (Serbia, Manchester United).

Midfielders: Xabi Alonso (Spain, Real Madrid), Gareth Bale (Wales, Tottenham Hotspur), Sergio Busquets (Spain, Barcelona), Cesc Fabregas (Spain, Barcelona), Andres Iniesta (Spain, Barcelona), Kaka (Brazil, Real Madrid), Frank Lampard (England, Chelsea), Nani (Portugal, Manchester United), Mesut Ozil (Germany, Real Madrid), Andrea Pirlo (Italy, Juventus), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany, Bayern Munich), David Silva (Spain, Manchester City), Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands, Internazionale), Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast, Manchester City), Xavi (Spain, Barcelona).

Forwards: Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Real Madrid), Wayne Rooney (England, Manchester Utd), David Villa (Spain, Barcelona), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon, Anzhi), Sergio Aguero (Argentina, Manchester City), Neymar (Brazil, Santos), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast, Chelsea), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden, AC Milan), Luis Suarez (Uruguay, Liverpool), Radamel Falcao (Colombia, Atletico Madrid), Edinson Cavani (Uruguay, Napoli), Karim Benzema (France, Real Madrid), Mario Gomez (Germany, Bayern Munich), Robin van Persie (Holland, Arsenal).

FIFA Ballon d'Or 2010

The contenders for this year’s FIFA Ballon d’Or award for the best player of 2010 and for the FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year 2010 award were announced on Monday during a press conference held at the headquarters of the sports daily L’Equipe in Paris, in which Jérôme Valcke, FIFA Secretary General, François Morinière, CEO of France Football, Jean-Pierre Papin, a former winner of the Ballon d’Or, and Christian Karembeu, a member of FIFA’s Football Committee, took part.

In alphabetical order, the male nominees are Andrés Iniesta (Spain), Lionel Messi (Argentina) andXavi (Spain), while Fatmire Bajramaj (Germany), Marta (Brazil) and Birgit Prinz (Germany) will contest the women’s award.

The candidates for the newly created FIFA World Coach of the Year for Men’s Football award and the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Women’s Football award were also announced. The contenders are the following: Vicente del Bosque (Spain/Spanish national team), Pep Guardiola (Spain/FC Barcelona) and José Mourinho (Portugal/FC Internazionale and Real Madrid CF) in the men’s category, and MarenMeinert (Germany/German U-20 national team) Silvia Neid (Germany/German national team) and PiaSundhage (Sweden/USA national team) in the women’s category.

All of these nominees were confirmed after a poll in which the captains and head coaches of the men’s and women’s national teams as well as international media representatives selected by FranceFootball voted for candidates. The votes from each of the three groups counted for one-third to obtain the final result.

The winners will be revealed at the first FIFA Ballon d’Or gala as part of a televised ceremony at the Zurich Kongresshaus on 10 January 2011, during which the FIFA FIFPro World XI and the FIFA Puskás Award for the most beautiful goal of the year will also be announced for the second year running. The online vote for fans on FIFA.com for the FIFA Puskás Award has now reached the 1 million vote landmark, with one week to go until the poll closes at noon CET on 13 December. The FIFA Presidential Award and the FIFA Fair Play Award will also be presented during the gala.

Spain Dominate Nominations

The shortlist for the prestigious Ballon d'Or, given to the best player in world football, is dominated by members of Spain's World Cup-winning squad, while just three players from the Premier League have made the running.

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, Sunderland forward Asamoah Gyan and Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas have been nominated for the award, but that is the only Premier League representation, and there are no Englishmen in the line-up.

Wayne Rooney might have expected to pick up a nomination, having scored 34 times last season to be voted Premier League Player of the Year, but his year has been marred by disappointing performances.

Frank Lampard, who helped guide Chelsea to the Premier League title with 27 goals, also missed out.

Fabregas was one of seven members of Spain's World Cup-winning squad to be shortlisted.

Andres Iniesta, who scored the winning goal in the Johannesburg final against Holland in July, is among the contenders along with his Barcelona team-mates Xavi, Carles Puyol and David Villa.

Spain captain Iker Casillas and his Real Madrid colleague Xabi Alonso also make the list.

Barca's Argentina forward Lionel Messi and Brazil right-back Daniel Alves, Atletico Madrid forward Diego Forlan - who scored five goals at the World Cup and received the Golden Ball award - and Real Madrid pair Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Ozil make up 11 players nominated from La Liga.

Inter Milan quartet Samuel Eto'o, Julio Cesar, Maicon and Wesley Sneijder are also included after winning an unprecedented Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League treble last term, with their former coach Jose Mourinho heading the candidates for the inaugural World Coach of the Year award.

Messi is the reigning Ballon d'Or winner and Fifa World Player of the Year.

The awards have now been merged, so the best player in the world will now be recognised by a single accolade - the Fifa Ballon d'Or.

The final decisions will be made by the captains and head coaches of the national teams as well as by international media representatives selected by France Football. The winners will be revealed in Zurich on Jan 10.

World Player of the Year nominees: Xabi Alonso (Spain), Daniel Alves (Brazil), Iker Casillas (Spain), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon), Cesc Fabregas (Spain), Diego Forlan (Uruguay), Asamoah Gyan (Ghana), Andres Iniesta (Spain), Julio Cesar (Brazil), Miroslav Klose (Germany), Philipp Lahm (Germany), Maicon (Brazil), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Thomas Muller (Germany), Mesut Ozil (Germany), Carles Puyol (Spain), Arjen Robben (Holland), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), Wesley Sneijder (Holland), David Villa (Spain) and Xavi (Spain).

World Coach of the Year nominees: Carlo Ancelotti (Chelsea), Vicente del Bosque (Spain), Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United), Pep Guardiola (FC Barcelona), Joachim Low (Germany), Jose Mourinho (Inter Milan/Real Madrid), Oscar Tabarez (Uruguay), Louis Van Gaal (Bayern Munich), Bert van Marwijk (Holland) and Arsene Wenger (Arsenal).